The Outsiders - Retold
by ImpishPyxie
Summary: The outsiders written by s.e Hinton, but with a twist. Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy aren't the only Curtis children. Ponyboy also has a twin sister, Tiffany. Not everything work be the same as the novel, I'm changing a few aspects/key points from the story. Being a greaser is tough enough, but being a girl greaser is even tougher. Add 3 brothers to that and life can get interesting
1. Chapter 1

TW - Mentions of rape/attempted rape in this chapter.

Tiffany and Ponyboy May not be identical twins, hell they weren't even the same gender, but they were cut from the same cloth. Two peas in a pod, that's what Sodapop always said about them. They were both Briany, each skipping the second grade and landing them in high school at 13. They both loved to read, to draw, and they both loved movies. Not just to go and watch mindlessly like the others, but to really absorb the material, to read past just what was shown on the surface. Analyze, that's the word their teacher used to describe how they not only watched movies, but read books and poetry in class. The two were rarely seen apart, always at each other's side.  
And by each other's side was exactly where they were Thursday afternoon, walking out of the movie theater, wishing they had a ride home.  
The walk home was long from the movie theater, but the twins didn't mind. They enjoyed each other's company, despite the fact Darry would be pissed when he found out they'd walked home alone again. Pony didn't carry a weapon to protect himself, and Darry wouldn't let Tiff carry one anyways.  
Even if she was greaser, she was still a girl and Darry has his old ways about what a proper girl (because damned if his little sister was going to end up like those other trashy greaser girls) should and shouldn't do. It was also why she wore her skirts longer than most greaser girls, but still shorter than Socs (because Tiffany was still stubborn herself and wouldn't look to much like a Soc girl).  
"Wasn't Ann Blyth just stunning in that movie pony?"  
"I loved Paul Newman more, god I wish I looked like him. He's so tough looking."  
As the pair chartered about the movie, and about their current science project, pony noticed a red corvair trailing them. Pony and tiff had never been jumped by Socs before, but their friend Jonny had gotten beat half to dead by four of 'em a month ago. And they'd heard horror stories of greaser girls getting jumped and raped by Socs. some of TIff's friends had it happen to them, and they (just like Johnny after his jump) were scared of their own shadows.  
"Walk faster," pony told his sister, and she didn't need an explanation to pick up her feet along with him.  
Of course it was no use, and the corvair pulled up beside them and out popped five Socs. Tiffany noticed Ponyboy scan the ground for something, anything that could protect them. But there was nothing, not a broken bottle, shard of glass, pipe, zilch.  
"Hey greaser," a not so friendly voice said in a mock friendly voice as they were circled. Tiffany's eyes shot behind the rich boys, they were only two blocks from home. Could they run?  
"Not so fast princess," one of the boys noticed her glance, grabbing her by the arms before she could bolt.  
"Hey!" Ponyboy stepped forward, no one touched his sister.  
"Ah-ah," the fake friendly voice said again, stepping in front of the younger boy. "We just wanna give you a friendly haircut grease. Get rid of that nasty greasy hair," with that the remaining boys jumped on him. Pinning him to the ground so the apparent leader could pull a knife on him "don't you think you need a hair-cut greaser?"  
"No," pony managed to grunt out just as the soc lowered his knife to ponyboy's chin "how about we start that haircut just below the chin."  
"Shit!" The Soc That has been holding Tiffany cursed, letting her go in shock at the skin-tearing bite she'd just inflicted.  
"Run!" Pony screamed as he struggled against them,  
Tiffany had darted off, all she could think of was to get Darry and soda for help. Before they killed them. "that was a big fucking mistake, princess."  
The boy she'd bitten had caught her, yanking her back. "Shut her up!" The leader ordered as Tiffany screamed at the top of her lungs for Darry, Soda, anyone.  
Tiffany felt herself being thrown to the ground, her face pressed into the gravel, rocks cutting into her cheek as a large hand covered her mouth. "Let her go!" Ponyboy screamed as the boy's tightened their grip on him, one of them abandoning him to help pin Tiffany down.  
"Oh no, now that you two wanted to try and act tough, we gotta teach you a lesson. And you get to watch," the leader sneered, grabbing pony's face harshly and making him look at where his sister was being flipped to her back and the Soc she had bitten took his own knife to cut open her blouse and then tear her skirt in half with his hands. "What's a dirty greaser girl doing with white panties?" He laughed, prying her legs open roughly as she tried to kick him.  
"No!" Pony screamed again, helpless. Just as the boy reached for her panties, they heard loud hollering and new bodies jumping towards them.  
Suddenly all the Socs That had been assaulting them ran, scrambling into the car and ripping out of there as fast as they could. Darry grabbed pony, "you Alright Ponyboy?"  
Soda had grabbed Tiffany, attempting to cover her with her ripped skirt, though it looked more like a bedsheet, it was ripped right in half at the seam. "Tiff, are you okay?"  
Pony tried to play tough, he wasn't that beat up. Johnny had been worse off when they found him. He didn't even flinch when Darry held a handkerchief to his head and pulled it back to reveal it was a blood-soaked mess. Tiff, however, just started to cry, pushing her face into soda's chest as she trembled.  
The girl wasn't that beat up, a cut to her throat that was bleeding nicely (but it wasn't deep, just nicked her from where she'd struggled), a swollen lip from how hard the Soc boy clamped her mouth, and handprint bruises forming on her thighs. Had it been a boy, they'd have called him soft and walloped him for being a baby to toughen him up. But tiff wasn't a boy, and so none of the gang (not even two-bit), said anything about her shaky cries.  
After two-bit took over pony's care, Darry was right beside soda, frantic over his baby sister. "Are you Alright? Did they touch you? I swear if they -"  
Tiff shook her head, calming down now that soda had her in his arms, the twins always felt safest in the middle son's embrace. "No. You all got here just before..." she shuddered, not wanting to finish her thought. Not wanting to think about what could have happened, what almost happened.  
"Did they pull a blade on you two?" Steve asked.  
"Yeah..." pony answered, standing to his feet. Darry lifted Tiffany in his arms easily, as strong as he was and as light as she was, it took no effort. Soda rearranged the skirt around her lower half, and Tiffany held her now buttonless blouse tightly closed.  
"Let's get you two home and cleaned up." They all walked the last two blocks home, hurrying inside when they got to the steps.  
"All right out the bathroom!" Soda ordered, Darry was in his room with pony cleaning him up. And no matter how close to family they all were, soda would die before he let the rest of the Gang see his baby sister in a blouse that exposed her whole chest and underwear.  
Johnny blushed, catching sight of the girl's pink bra only momentarily as the door was slammed shut.  
They all of course still pressed their ear to the door, everyone was more concerned for her than pony. Pony was tough, he could manage. But tiff, she was softer than even Johnny, and those boys had nearly...  
"Ow-" they heard the small wince. Soda had dabbed rubbing alcohol on her throat to clean up the cut.  
"Lucky they didn't cut any deeper..." they heard soda saying.  
"It'll look real tough though," Tiffany grinned sheepishly, trying to make her brother smile.  
He did, he couldn't resist her beautiful smile. It lit up everyone in the gang's day.  
"Let me look..." the boys weren't sure what he meant, but soda had taken the scrap of skirt off her to inspect the bruises. Which they figured when he spoke again "I'll kill those Socs if I ever see their faces again...I can get you some ice for the swelling in those bruises if you want?"  
"What are you knuckleheads doing?" Darry boomed, making even Dally jump back from the door.  
"Awh shucks, Dar. We was just listening in." Two-bit gave his half cocked grin.  
"Go to the living room all of you," and even dally obeyed. "Hey sodapop? It's just me," he opened the bathroom door. "Pony's good. Got him cleaned up and lectured for walking without a blade and alone. Now he's doing homework before supper. I brought you a change of clothes. I figure we will just throw those away," Darry looked at the blood stained blouse, the torn skirt. For a moment a flash of pure rage was on Darry's face before it left.  
"You just bought me this blouse... I'm sorry Darry."  
"It's alright Tiff. Don't apologize." He sat the clothes in the sink.  
"Alright, all good. You'll be the toughest girl at school now." Soda teased her before standing up and walking out the door.  
"After you change. I want you doing your work with pony too, got it?"  
"Yes sir," sir. Darry still thought it was funny how she called him that. He didn't mind though, was happy someone in the house had manners.  
They closed the door to let Tiffany change. She took her blouse, skirt (even though it was fixable with one long stitch), and underwear (despite being new as well) to the kitchen trash and shoved them in the bin after she'd changed.  
No one questioned her, they all silently knew why she didn't want a piece of clothing she'd worn today anymore. No one dared to look at her with pity though, only fierce determination. Tiffany June Curtis was a tough girl, she'd get through whatever came her way. and no Soc was gonna change that.


	2. Chapter 2

When the twins were younger and the Curtis parents were still alive, they used to share a bedroom. The small home only had three bedrooms and one bathroom, which made life difficult with four people living in it (even worse when there was six, not to mention the gang coming in and out all the time). It was a cute and quaint home, but it had seen better days.  
When they're parents first died, all the siblings slept in the living room together on a pile made up of every blanket and pillow in the house. After a few weeks, they were ready to rearrange the bedroom setups (soda and Darry had really been waiting for the twins to be ready, they both had terrible night terrors after their parents died in the wreck).  
Tiffany stayed in her old room, with pony moving into Darry and soda's old room with Sodapop. Even if they didn't mind sharing, Tiffany was growing up and needed her own space as a growing woman. Darry moved into their parents' old room, but barely changed the setup. Only moving some stuff around to make room for his clothes and things.  
At lights out however, soda and pony had crawled into bed as usual. Soda throwing one arm across his little brother, already Half asleep when he felt the edge of the bed dip down with new found weight.  
"Huh?" Soda's voice was groggy.  
Ponyboy sat up in bed as well, "tiff?"  
"What's wrong?"  
"Can I sleep with you two tonight?" Tiffany's face was beat red, she hated feeling like she was soft. But dammit, soft or not she still was scared from the Socs jumping them earlier. And she wanted sodapop's comforting hold, how he made the twins feel safe with just a one-armed hug.  
"Yeah. Come on in here," soda gave off his signature lazy smile as she crammed herself on the double-sized mattress. Soda squashed in the middle, he threw an arm around each of the twins. "I'll never let no dirty Soc hurt y'all. So don't sweat it." Soda mumbled to them, falling asleep right after.  
"You sure you Alright Tiff?" Pony whispered to his sister.  
"Yeah, just a little shook up still. I'll be alright though."  
That night, tiff had her dream she could never remember, both twins had it nearly every night for a month when their parents died. The dreams slowed after awhile, especially with the help of soda and Darry comforting them. She had screamed and thrashed in her sleep, only calming when Soda rolled to his side and grabbed her in a tight hug, whispering over and over to her "it's okay. I'm here. You're safe." Her screams and kicks stopped then, but she was still left whimpering in fear for quite awhile.  
~~~~~~~

After school the next day, Johnny, Tiffany, and Ponyboy were meeting Dally to go see the nightly double at one of the local drive-ins - the Dingo. It was one of the tougher drive-ins, but they enjoyed it.  
They met up at a corner street, and since it was still early - they all went inside the nearby shopping center's drug store to buy Cokes and goof off.  
"How you holding up little lady?" Dally asked, aside from Johnny (the gang's pet), Tiffany was the only other person Dally seemed to give a hoot about.  
"I'm alright, soda said I'll probably have a small scar on my throat. Think it'll look tuff?" Tuff, not tough. Tough meant rough looking, tuff meant cool. Both were good though.  
"You'll look real tuff, kid." Dally roughed up the top of her head with affection.  
"I'm glad you didn't get hurt real bad," Johnny said softly, he knew how bad a Soc beating could get. But he knew how worse it could've been for a girl too.  
Not soon after, the store owner said it'd be better if they all left as they'd been loitering around for quite awhile. It was too late though, Dally had already swiped two packs of Kool cigarettes. And Tiffany had swiped some eyeliner and lipstick.  
"Like the color? They're calling it bombshell red." She pushed the tube up to show off the fire engine red lipstick.  
"Darry will never let you wear it. Too trashy, remember?" Ponyboy pointed out.  
"Awh. Darry ain't gotta know if I put it on at school and take it off there before coming home. As long as no one snitches," she looked pointedly at her brother.  
"I ain't no snitch."  
"Good," she grinned as the four of them goofed around for a few more hours. They watched some guys having a good fight before ditching when the cops were called. Then they chased some kids in the field for a good bit until it was dark enough for them to sneak over the fence to dingo's in order to get into the movies. They had the money for tickets, it was only a quarter without a car. But doing things the legal way was no fun for Dally, so the younger ones tagged along with him.  
Of course Dally spotted two pretty looking girls, and sat right behind them. And of course he started talking real dirty, only getting badder by the second. He made all three of the younger kids turn red as cherries at the way he was talking. Johnny got up quickly at this point, saying something about wanting to get a coke. Sometimes pony would join in on the talk, but that was with greaser girls and when tiff wasn't around. These were classy looking girls though, dressed nice and wearing a proper amount of light makeup.  
They could tell the girls were getting angry, and before they knew it, the red-haired girl whipped her head around and stared Dally down. "Take your feet off my chair and shut your trap!"  
"Yeah? Who's gonna make me?" Dally grinned mockingly,  
The other girl turned to her red-headed friend "that's the greaser that jockeys for the Slash J sometimes."  
"Too bad you can't ride bull as good as you talk it, huh?"  
Dally didn't seem to care or hear what was said "you two barrel race?"  
"You just better leave us alone, or I'll call the police," the firey red-head said.  
"Oh my, my -" Dally tsked, sounding bored "you got me shaking in my boots, doll. You should see my record, it's a mile long."  
"_Please_ leave us alone, why don't you just be nice and leave us alone?"  
"I'm never nice doll face, want a coke?" Now she was mad.  
"I wouldn't drink a coke from you if I was starving in the desert!" Dally just shrugged, and got up and walked off towards the concessions.  
Once he left, the red-haired girl turned on pony "are _you _going start in on us now?"  
"N-no," pony shook his head, wide eyed. He found her scary, Hell, he found most nice looking girls scary.  
"You don't look the type anywho," she smiled now. "What's y'alls names?" She asked them both.  
"Tiffany, most people call me Tiff though." Tiff answered shyly, she didn't have many friends outside the gang, so she found it awkward to talk to other girls (let alone Socs).  
"Ponyboy," here he paused waiting for the jokes and disbelief.  
"I like that. Unique. I'm sherry, but everyone calls me cherry on account of my hair. You two here together?"  
"She's my little sister," pony said just as Tiffany said "we're twins."  
She gave pony a hard stare "he's older by five minutes."  
Both girls laughed at that, "what are two doing here with that thug anyways?"  
"He's one of us. We're pals. Greasers." Tiffany said harshly, not liking the way she said 'thug'.  
"I'm sorry..." she said softly then quickly changed the subject "don't you two have a brother that works at a gas station. The DX?"  
"Yeah," pony grinned at the mention of Sodapop,  
"I thought so. He's a real doll. I figured he was your brother. Ponyboy, You two look just alike." Pony flushed, he didn't think so, but he was glad she thought soda was handsome.  
Johnny came back with his coke, and looked around for dally. When he noticed he was missing, looked at the girls sheepishly before letting out a quiet "hi," before trying to focus on the movie.  
The twins noticed Cherry sizing Johnny up, just as she had Ponyboy. And then she smiled, having sized him up right. Dallas came back with an armful of Coke's, handing one to Tiff and setting his down, he handed the last two to the girls.  
"Maybe this will cool you off, sweetheart."  
"Maybe _this _will cool _you _off," Cherry retorted as she threw the coke dally had given her in his face.  
Dally wiped his face with his jacket, smiling dangerously. The twins knew that smile, and if they were cherry - they'd run.  
"Firey Huh? That's how I like 'em," dally sat beside of cherry and went to wrap his arm around her.  
But surprisingly, Johnny stoped his hand "leave her alone dally."  
"Huh?" Dally was in disbelief, Johnny couldn't say "boo" to a ghost. The boy gulped, paleing.  
"You heard me. Leave her alone." dally would've clocked anyone else, but he just hugged in anger and left. He'd never hit Johnny.  
After that, the girls really digged the boys and Tiff . So they invited them to sit beside 'em. And not long after two-bit showed up. They introduced the girls, Cherry and her friend Marcia. Before two-bit handed some money to pony to buy everyone popcorn and drinks for them all.  
"You and you're sister are real close?" Cherry had tagged along with pony to help carry everything.  
"Yeah. We've been together since before we was born. Hard not to be." The two chatted some more, and pony talked about his siblings. He even broke down when she asked about Johnny, and told her how he'd been beaten half to death and cut up by a gang of Socs.  
"Not all of us are like pony. Please know that."  
"Tell that to Tiff and Johnny."  
"Tiff? What happened to her?"  
Pony groaned, he didn't mean to say her name. But he was still hot about it.  
"Her and I was jumped yesterday. By a group of five Socs in a Corvair. They tried to -" he couldn't look Cherry in the eyes here. "They tried to rape her, and I couldn't do a damn thing cause they had me pinned and a knife to my throat. Only reason we was saved was cause the gang showed up. So don't go telling me all Socs, especially the men, aren't the same until one of 'em tries that on you."  
Cherry fell silent for a moment "I'm so sorry Pony. Things are rough all over, aren't they."  
"Yeah, sure are."  
They got their snacks and headed back to the others. Two-bit and Marcia had really hit if off. Johnny and Tiff were sitting close to each other, watching the movie but turning to whisper to one another occasionally. When pony showed back up, Johnny slid away a bit and tiff got up to help pass out popcorn and drinks.  
They settled down for the movie now, silently enjoying each other's company.


	3. Chapter 3

After the movies, Tiffany pointed out that Cherry and Marcia didn't have a way home. Since they'd ditched their dates for being drunk, so Two-bit offered the two of them a ride home. At first they wanted to call their parents to pick them up, but eventually gave in and walked with them to pick up two-bit's car.  
"I think imma head on home, need to get started on my English report before Darry skins me alive for putting it off again."  
"I'm not sure if I should let you walk home alone at night. Darry will skin _me _alive if you get hurt," two-bit said in return.  
"Hey guys!" Steve raced toward them, a smile plastered on his face.  
"My savior," Tiffany joked. "Can you walk home with me Steve? That way two-bit doesn't have a cow about me getting hurt."  
"No problem little lady, happy to be of service." He joked back with her. "I'll make sure she gets home safe and sound. No need to be scared of Darry tonight," he punched two-bit in the arm before taking off with the youngest Curtis sibling,  
"Boy am I glad your ugly mug showed up," they heard Tiffany saying as they walked towards the Curtis home.  
On the way to two-bits car, Cherry and Marcia's boys showed up in their blue mustang, along with two other Socs.  
Johnny was white as a sheet, and pony knew it was the same boys who jumped the puppy-like kid, seeing how Johnny was staring at the rings on his hand and all.  
Two-bit was ready to fight them all, when cherry cried for them to stop. Her and Marcia agreeing to go back home with her boyfriend, Bob. After that, two-bit ripped up the number Marcia had given him and said goodbye to the boys.  
Pony and Johnny decided to head to the vacant lot and just chat for a little while, seeing how Johnny always stays out as long as he pleased (his folks didn't give a damn about him), and pony still had a couple of hours until curfew.  
It was barely after 9:30 when Steve dropped Tiffany off at home. "Thanks for walking her Steve-o," soda grinned at his friend. "I'd invite you in for cards, but I got work in the morning."  
"Don't sweat it. And I don't mind, as long as she gets home Alright. Darry'd kill us if she got hurt."  
"That's the truth. See ya tomorrow pal."  
"See ya," with that Steve headed off, lighting up a cigarette, flipping his jacket collar up and headed home.  
"Whatcha doing back so early? Curfew ain't 'til 11:30." Darry asked, coming out from the bathroom from a shower, still wrapped in a towel at the waist.  
"And where's pony? Y'all are rarely ever apart." Soda asked as he closed the front door.  
"Awh, I know. Ponyboy, Johnny and two-bit are giving some girls a ride home in two-bits car. And I wasn't interested, I need to start on my English report anyways. You've been hounding me about it, remember?" She teased her oldest brother.  
Darry had been on her to start that paper, knowing how she liked to wait until the last day to throw it together. He was always pissed yet proud she would manage an A every time though. "At least you use your head," he laughed, coming over and roughing up her hair. "Go on then," with that Darry went to put some boxers on before he'd come out to watch some late night tv,

At 11:30, Ponyboy hadn't come home. Darry didn't worry much at first, he wouldn't get on his case if he was only a few minutes late. But at 12:15, he came into Tiffany's room. She was still in her clothes from earlier, not having changed yet, and was sitting at her desk reading back over her A passage of her book for English, Great Expectations, for her assignment. "I promise I'm working on it-"  
"Not that, was Pony going anywhere else after dropping those girls you mentioned off?"  
Tiff looked up, seeing Darry's brows creased with worry. Poor Dar, she often found herself thinking. Barely done being a kid himself, and he was having to keep a roof over three kids' head and food in their mouth. If it wasn't for soda dropping out and helping, they'd have been split up already for sure. At twenty, the man had lived two lifetimes.  
"He didn't say. They'd just offered those girls a ride home and then when Steve showed up I spilt. Maybe he and Johnny hung out after? You know they're always hanging with one another."  
"He better be home soon, I don't know-" he started mumbling where she couldn't hear.  
At one, they were all worried and Tiffany had moved to the living room to wait up with them. Even when soda told her to just go to bed, she refused, leaning her head on soda's shoulder as she dozed off. Pony was gonna be in for it if he didn't have a good reason for being out so late.  
At two in the morning, the door opened slowly. Darry had been reading the paper while soda and tiff had fallen asleep on the couch.  
Darry looked up to see Pony biting his thumbnail with worry. "Where the hell have you been? Do you what time is is?!" Tiff stirred, the sound of Darry's voice waking her slightly. His voice rose when he got no answer "well it's two in the morning kiddo! Another hour and I would've called the police! Where were you Ponyboy?! Where in the all mighty universe were you?!"  
By now Tiffany had woken and sat up on the sofa with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, Darry must've thrown it across her.  
"I...I fell asleep in lot," the excuse sounded so dumb, even to ponyboy.  
"You what?" Darry was shouting now, and soda sat up, waking now as well.  
"Hey pony, where ya been?" He asked sleepily.  
"I didn't mean to! Johnny and I was just talking and we both dropped off."  
"I reckon it never went through your mind that your brothers and sister would be worrying their heads off. Afraid to call the police because something like that could get you three thrown in a home so quick it'd make your head spin! And you were asleep in the lot!? Ponyboy, what on earth is the matter with you? Can't you use your head at all?! You ain't even got a coat on!"  
Ponyboy had tears falling from his face, and tiff knew they were from being angry and frustrated. "I said I didn't meant to -"  
"I didn't mean to!" Darry was yelling so loud, the twins were sure the house almost shook. "I didn't think! I forgot! That's all I ever hear from you! Can't you think of anything else to say?!"  
"Darry..." Sodapop started, But Darry turned on him.  
"You keep your trap shut! I'm so sick and tired of Hearin' you stick up for him every time I try to get after him!"  
Yelling at soda must've made something in Pony snap, because he exploded and yelled back. "Don't you yell at him!" And before anyone could react, Darry wheeled around and slapped pony across the face so hard he hit the door.  
"Pony..." Darry's eyes were wide, his face white. No one had ever hit pony like that before, none of the kids had been hit like that before. They'd been spanked sure, the twins still getting them from the older brothers, but never hit like Darry had just done.  
Ponyboy grabbed the doorknob, twisting it and running out. "Ponyboy I didn't mean to!" And then, "Tiffany come back!" For Tiffany had grabbed her running shoes and raced out the door, trying to put them on as she raced after her twin brother.  
Pony had ran back to the vacant lot, waking Johnny up and going on about how the two were gonna run away, with Tiffany close behind them.  
"How about we go for a walk to the park and back, Okay? Then we can talk more." Johnny, the voice of reason. Pony agreed and the three started to walk to the park, hoping it'd cool pony off enough for him to decide to go back home with Tiffany.


	4. Chapter 4

TW - Mentions and descriptions of rape 

The park was just a two block square, it had a fountain flowing in the middle, a pool (which was still closed for the cold weather), a section to have a grill out, and a few set-ups for the kids to play on. The usual laughter and chatter at the park was met with dead silence, no one was around at 2:30 in the morning.  
Johnny snapped the collar of his jeans jacket up, and Tiffany pulled her sweater tight against her. "Aren't you freezing Pone?" Johnny asked, blowing his warm breath into his hands.  
"You ain't a Woofin' " Ponyboy retorted, lighting up a cigarette to keep himself steady and hopefully warmer than he was at the moment.  
Tiffany started to say something about the ice that was starting to form on the outer edge of the fountain when a loud car horn blasted and a blue mustang started to circle the park.  
"Who are they?" Tiffany asked, eyeing the car.  
"The Socs from earlier. Cherry and Marcia's boys." Ponyboy answered.  
"Should we run?" Tiff asked.  
"Too late now," Johnny stammered our, scared to death already "here they come." As he spoke, his hand hovered at his back pocket, the switchblade he'd bought after he got jumped. Pony reached for a broken bottle and tiff found a baseball bat some kid must've forgotten.  
Five Socs were coming toward them, two of them included Bob and Randy (the Soc girls' guys).  
"Hey whatta ya know?" Bob said, obviously still drunk. "It's the little greasers that tried picking up our girls, and a greasy girl joined their bunch."  
"You're outta your territory," Johnny spoke in a low voice, "you'd better watch it."  
Randy swore, and all the Socs stepped forward as Johnny spoke, eyeing Johnny "nup. Pal. Yer the ones who'd better watch it. Next time you pick up a broad, pick up yer own kind. Like her - dirt." He jerked his head towards Tiffany. He laughed, seeing pony get angry. And Tiffany clutched her bat tightly. "You know what a greaser is? - White trash with long hair."  
Pony was furious at this point, his voice shaking now "And you know what a Soc is? - White trash with Mustangs and madras," and then, because he probably couldn't think of anything else to say, Pony spit at them.  
"You could use a bath, greaser," Bob sneered "And a good working over, all of you. And we've got all night to do it. Give the kid a bath, David."  
Pony tried to duck and run, but the Soc that Bob sicced on Pony caught his arm and twisted it behind his back before shoving his face into the fountain.  
Bob grabbed Tiffany when he spotted her trying to run off as well. He twisted her arm as well, making her drop the bat and shoved her to the ground face first, so that it was scrapped against the concrete surrounding the fountain. "Why don't you just lay down and do the only thing a greaser girl can?" He said this as he pushed up her skirt and Tiff closed her eyes praying for another miracle.  
The miracle came a little late, because when Bob kicked her legs apart and she felt a burning and almost ripping pain push into her, that's when her miracle snapped. Tiffany had started screaming, pain filling her body when suddenly Bob slumped ontop her and didn't move again. Seconds later, she felt a warm liquid spreading across her back before someone rolled him off. It was Pony. How long had she been laying there, motionless in fear, unable to hear anything around her and her eyes shut close.  
"W-what-" she started to blubber, Pony (who was drenched from his head down to his shoulders from the freezing water of the fountain) pulled her up and standing to her feet. She was shaking more than he was.  
"I killed him," Johnny was sputtering over and over. "They was gonna kill you Pony, probably me too. And then he was - Tiff he had her..."  
"What are we gonna do?" Tiffany asked shakily.  
"They put people in the chair for killing people JOhnny!" Pony was panicking.  
"Calm down Ponyboy. Look..We gotta...we gotta get out of here. Run away. Money. We need money, maybe a gun, and a plan."  
"Where are we gonna get any of that?" Tiffany cried, clinging to Ponyboy.  
"Dally. He'll get us out of this." Why hadn't the twins thought of that? Dally would know what to do.  
"Where can we find him?" Pony asked.  
"I think he was going to Buck Meril's tonight, he was having a party," Tiffany answered, remembering some of the older girls at school whispering about it in the library that morning at school. Had it really only been a few hours since she'd been at school? Only a few hours and she was at the movies, now she was standing in that park shaking and her back covered in someone else's blood after he'd-she didn't want to remember. It had only been a few seconds - a minute at the most, but she'd never feel like the same person again. Johnny touched her hand gently, his eyes sad for a second when she flinched. But then she grabbed his hand tightly as they all made their way to Buck's.  
The twins had never been to Buck's, they had been banned from every going near it by Sodapop and Darry. Not that they were keen to join in his parties anyways. It was bad music, lots of girls, and too much drinking. Neither of them liked drinking, they'd shared a beer once and stopped after one sip. That didn't stop Darry from tanning their hides when he found the can the next day, still hidden under Tiff's bed.  
Tiffany knocked, and Buck answered. "What do you kids wants?"  
"Dally!" Johnny gulped, his hands staring to shake "We need to see Dally."  
"He's busy."  
"Tell him is Johnny, Ponyboy and Tiffany. He'll come, He knows us." Tiffany said, and thank god he was smashed so he couldn't see the blood that stained her sweater. The thing about Buck was you had to push him around a bit. Buck glared at the three for a moment and then stumbled off.  
Dally appeared a few moments later in just a pair of blue jeans, "Alright kids, what ya need me for?" Johnny rushed through the story. And Dally eyes flashed to Tiffany with rage for a moment when he heard about her specific assault.  
"Good on you," he gruffed out when Johnny admitted to knifing the Soc that was raping Tiffany.  
"Sorry we pulled you out of the party," Tiffany managed after Johnny finished the story.  
"Oh shoot little lady, I was just in the bedroom," He laughed looking at Pony "Glory kid can your ears turn red! It wasn't nothing like that, I just needed a bed to sleep on. Let me see what I can do about this mess...Are you wet Ponyboy?"  
"y-y-y-yes,"  
"Glory be, you'll die of Pneumonia before the cops catch you!" he dragged them inside, hauling them up to the room he had just previously occupied.  
"get that sweatshirt off, " he threw a towel at the freezing cold kid. "Dry off and let me grab you something - Is that blood?!" He asked, catching sight of the blood that covered the back of Tiffany's sweater and had soaked through to her blouse, not to mention it was caked to the back of her hair.  
"His," tiffany said shakily, her hands grabbing at her arms.  
"Fuck, take all of that off. I'm sure Buck has some of his random girls' shit around here I can grab for you. I'll burn it all, don't need that shit around to be found." Johnny turned bashfully so that Tiffany could strip off her sweater and blouse. Dally threw a towel at her so she could wrap it around her chest.  
Dally left and came back a few minutes later, handing Pony a shirt that was Buck's and way to big for him, and a shirt that fit tight to Tiffany's torso (Darry would've had a cow) and a purple jacket that had sleeves going past her hands.  
"Do Sodapop and Darry know about this?" He asked the twins.  
"No," they both answered truthfully.  
"Shit, I ain't itchin' to be the one to tell Darry and get my head busted in."  
"The don't tell him," Pony retorted.  
"Hop the 3:15 train to Windrixville," he went on, telling them about this old church they could hide out in. He gave them a wad of cash, fifty bucks, and a gun. "And get some food for a week as soon as you get there, before the story hits the paper. Take care..." Dally gave them all a squeeze to the shoulder before sending them off .


	5. Chapter 5

The three of them crouched in some tall grass by the railroad tracks, listening as the train they needed to hop could be heard coming in.  
Soon the train squealed to a halt and Johnny whispered "Now." They all ran as fast as they could, grabbing the rails outside one of the boxcars and pulling themselves in.  
They pressed against the side of the cart, holding their breath when one of the workers came by, peeking inside the cart. They didn't release their breaths until he walked away.  
"The first stop will be Windrixville," Tiffany said, watching as Johnny gingerly sat down the gun.  
"I don't know why he gave me this thing. I can't shoot no one." Johnny said, shaking his head.  
Pony pulled his knees to his chest, stewing in the thought that they were really in for it. Really doing this. That Johnny, quest as mouse and couldn't hurt a fly Johnny, had killed someone.  
"Lay down and get some rest you guys," Johnny said urging the twins to get some inkling of sleep.  
Pony stretched out, laying his head on johnny's lap. Tiffany stretched out as well, laying her head against pony's chest as they both drifted into sleep. Tiffany was glad that dally had given his jacket to pony. It felt cool against her skin, and she knew it was keeping Ponyboy warm as well.  
Tiff and Ponyboy were still in a dreamlike trance when Johnny hauled them to their feet to jump off the train. It wasn't until they hit the wet dewy grass that they woke up and realized what was going on.  
"Blast it Pone," Johnny began to say, rubbing at his legs "you went and put my legs to sleep. I can't even stand, barely got off the train."  
"I'm sorry. You shoulda woke me."  
"Awh its fine. I didn't want to wake either of you until I had too," Johnny was just a kid himself - but here he was, talking like he was responsible for the twins.  
"How do we find jay mountain?" Tiffany asked, she still sounded groggy with sleep, and her hair now looked matted and raggedy.  
"Gotta ask someone," Johnny answered. "The story won't be in the paper yet. okay ponyboy, you make like a farm boy taking a walk or something."  
"I don't look like a farm boy."  
"I look even worse than you. And tiff looks like someone cracked her head open and then left her to dry."  
"Thanks,"  
"Sorry. I mean it as a compliment," he joked. "You go on down the road and ask whoever you see first where jay mountain is. And for Pete's sake ponyboy, run a comb through your hair and quit slouching like some thug!"  
Pony touched up his hair with the comb he'd still had in his back pocket, before heading down the road after Johnny made a comment on how he looked like soda.  
It took about five minutes for pony to come back with directions.  
They all climbed up towards the church, Johnny had to help Tiffany up after half way up. She was so tired that her legs felt like lead, and she could barely walk anymore.  
It took over half an hour to get to the old abandoned church. It sat at the top of the hill and looked creepy and like the perfect home for ghosts. They climbed in through a back window, finding some wayward pews still in the building. They didn't even say a word together, each of them simply laid down on a pew and fell asleep before their heads hit the wood.  
~~~~

Johnny woke up first, and not wanting to wake either of the twins- he slipped out the back door of the church, washed his face in the freezing water from the old waterpump, and headed down into the town to buy their supplies.  
Tiffany woke up next, and noticed Johnny had left a message in the dirt floor saying he'd gone to the store for supplies. So she slipped outside and sat on the backsteps of the church, looking out over the hill and at the fields down below.  
She wondered what Darry and Soda were doing, if they were worrying about them. It had to be a little past noon by now. Dally and Soda both had work today, did they call out? In hopes the twins would come home today? Tiff doubted either of them slept, and when they hear about the dead Soc? She wished she could tell them they were okay, that for the moment they were safe.  
She must've sat on that porch thinking about home for a couple of hours, because she heard ponyboy come up behind her. "Hey, how long you been up?" He asked.  
"Not long. I just came out to sit."  
"Want some water? I was coming to get a drink from that pump."  
"Nah. I had some when I first came out. That water is freezing, so brace yourself."  
"Thanks for the heads up. Lord almighty, I hope Johnny brings shampoo and soap. Your hair looks awful."  
"How do you think i feel? That - that _monster's _blood caked in my hair?"  
"I'm kinda glad Johnny killed him," Tiffany heard pony saying as he walked towards the waterpump.  
Ponyboy came back and sat on the steps beside his sister after his drink. The two sat beside one another in silence, they didn't need to speak in order to understand each other. 14 years on earth and nine months in the womb together, words weren't needed to convey feelings and emotions with one another.  
After another forty-five minutes, the sounds of someone stepping through dead leaves close by the church could be heard. Tiffany beckoned ponyboy back inside the church, both of them heading back inside the doorway. As they slipped back inside, a long and low whistle rang out. The whistle was familiar, it was a sound a local gang of greasers used as a "who's there" signal.  
Both twins returned the whistle, and then ponyboy swung open the front door of the church so fast that he sprawled out onto the grass and at Johnny's feet. "Hey Johnny. Fancy meeting you here," Pony said, grining up at the boy.  
Johnny looked down at the younger boy over the big package he was carrying in his arms "I swear Pone. You gettin' to act more like Two-Bit every day."  
Tiffany giggled when she saw her brother fail miserbaly at cocking a single eyebrow, something that two-bit was famous for doing. "who says I'm actin'," Pony rolled to the side and then hopped up to his feet, following Johnny back inside "What did ya get?" He asked curiously.  
"Come on inside and see. Dally told us to stay inside, remember?"  
Both the twins followed him in, both pouting over being reminded they weren't supposed to be outside. "And you shouldn't be out front where anyone can see you anyways Tiff. You still got all that - stuff in your hair," he couldn't bear to say blood, not when the blood belonged to a dead kid. Tiffany dusted off a table with her skirt so that Johnny could start taking out the things he bought and place them down. "A week's worth of baloney, two loaves of bread, some matches," Johnny listed off the items he bought as they were pulled out.  
Pony must've gorwn tired of watching, as he sprang up from the chair he'd been sitting in and started to dig into the bag himself. "Oh woah!" Pony excalimed, sitting back down and holding a copy of Gone With The Wind in his hands. "How'd you know I'd been wanting this?" He asked the older boy in amazement.  
Johnny blushed, "I remember you sayin' something about it once before. And we all three went to see that movie together, you remember? I figured you could read it out loud or something, help kill time ya know."  
"Thanks Johnnycakes," Ponyboy put down the book slowly, wanting to read it right away, but they still had to unpack. "Peroxide? A deck of cards...wait. Johnny you ain't thinking of..."  
Johnny sat down, pulling out his knife and looking it over. "We're gonna cut off our hair. All of us. And we're gonna bleach the two of yours' ."  
Tiffany nodded, but was obviously upset at this information, she loved her hair. It was long and red, like their mom's had been. "They're gonna have our descriptions in the papers. We have to change the way we look so we don't match 'em."  
Pony looked at his friend imploringly, and Johnny sighed. "I'm cutting mine too Pone. And Imma wash all the grease out, but I can't bleach it. I'm too dark-skinned to look half-decent with blond hair. Oh come on Pony. It'll grow back."  
"Fine, let's get this over with then," Pony agreed, but was still upset.  
"We need to wash Tiff's hair first..."  
"That pump water is freezing..."  
"Well it's all we got, Come on." Johnny walked into the back steps, waiting for them too follow.  
Tiffany grabbed the shampoo and bar of soap that Johnny had bought, Pony grabbed the peroxide, and then they followed suit. "Hold your breath, its gonna be a shock." Pony warned as he pumped some water took her shirt and jacket off (and then reprimanded Johnny for turning so red, she couldn't have her clothes getting wet too. And besides, she was keeping her bra on).  
Taking his advice, Tiffany held her breath and let Johnny pushed her head under the water. "Good goll-" Tiff sputtered, trying to pull away but Johnny had her head pushed down as he got it soaked before lathering the shampoo into it. Her hair was so thick, he had to work hard to get all the tangles out of the dried and matted mess that was her hair. It took an eternity to Tiffany for Johnny to finally finish, letting her pull away, teeth chattering.  
"Put your hair up in a ponytail, it'll be easier to cut that way." Ponyboy suggested. Tiff nodded, taking the rubberband that had been wrapped around some of the things Johnnny had bought, and pulled her hair into a high ponytail. She slipped her shirt and jacket back on and then sat on the backsteps so Johnny could cut her hair off.  
After about forty minutes of cutting and dying each other's hair. The kids were done. Pony's hair was cut short and tucked at his ears, and light blond from the peroxide. Johnny's hair was the same length, but now was washed clean of grease. Tiffany's hair, that had been far past her shoulder and close to the end of her back, was now cut to under her chin and the same blonde color as Pony's.  
They sat on the backsteps while there was still sunlight, Tiff and Johnny tyring to warm back up from their freezing cold hair washes. They all sat, eating on candy bars, and Ponyboy started to rub at his eyes fiercely. He had started to cry and didn't want Johnny to see.  
"Ah shucks. I'm sorry I cut off all your hair ponyboy," Johnny sighed, watching the tears that filled his friend's eyes.  
"Oh. It ain't that. I mean..not all of it. I don't really know what's all the matter really. I just feel all mixed up."  
"I feel the same way..." Tiffany sighed. "I don't really feel the same..."  
"I know," Johnny said softly, "Everyhting's just happening so fast," his teeth started to chatter again, a cold spell running through his body. All three of them huddled closer together, trying to use their body heat to warm one another up. "Two-bit shoulda been in that little old store. Man. We really are in the middle of nowhere, the closest house was two miles away. Things there was just layin' out wide open, just askin' for somebody slick like Ol' Two-bit to stroll on in and pick 'em up. Golly, he coulda walked out with half that store."  
"Remember how we was all wise crackin' last night?" Ponyboy asked. "Last Night...Golly last night we were walkin' with Cherry and Marcia over to Two-bits. And just last night we as layin' the lot, lookin' at the stars and dreamin'..."  
"Shut up!" Johnny jerked to the right, his teeth clenched. "Just shut up about last night! I killed a kid last night! He couldn't have been more than 17 or 18, and I killed him! How'd you like to live with that?!" He started crying, and Ponyboy held him in a strong hug, the same way Sodapop held johnny when they found him beat half to death. "I didn't mean to...but they was drownin' you...And He was hurtin' Tiff...And I was just so scared..." he paused for a moment before adding "There sure is alot of blood inside people."  
Johnny stood up suddenly, and started pacing back and forth. Pony moved so that he was hugging his sister now as Tiffany had started shaking again, and it wasn't because she was cold. "what are we gonna do?" She asked, crying into Ponyboy's arms.  
"This is all my fault," Johnny said miserably. "And what was I thinkin'? Bringing two little 13 year old kids along. You two ought to just go on home. You can't get into no trouble. You didn't kill that kid."  
"We aren't 13!" Ponyboy screamed at Johnny, who was also crying by now. "We're 14! We've been 14 for a month now! And we're in this just as much as you are! We'll stop crying in a minute...can't help it." He mumbled the last bit.  
Johnny slumped back down beside them, "I didn't mean it like that, Pony...Don't cry you two. We'll be okay I swear to it. Just don't cry." they all leaned into one another, and Johnny let the twins cry themselves out. They both ended up bawling until they fell asleep.  
Johnny was able to wake them up enough to get them to their feet and walk inside, he was going to have them lay back down on the pews, but they both complained in unison how cold it had gotten by now. He cracked a smile at their whines, he at least knew they were still themselves, and boy did they act like little kids when they was so sleepy.  
"Alright, We can all sleep on the floor then? If we sleep bunched up together we won't get as cold," they agreed. and they gathered to the front pew, there were only five left in the little old abandoned church anyways. Johnny pushed the front pew over so that it would help block out wind from hitting their bodies, and they all scrunched up close to one another on the floor, and fell asleep.  
Ponyboy woke up late in the night, and noticed that Johnny had woken up too. The older boy had moved though, wanting to keep the younger two as warm as possible. "Johnny?"he whispered, not wanting to wake his sister up.  
"Yeah?" Johnny whispered back.  
"We ain't gonna cry no more, are we?"  
"Nah. I think we're all cried out now. We're gettin' used to the idea, We're gonna be okay."  
"That's what I was thinking," Ponyboy's words mumbled themselves out as he relaxed back into slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

The next four days passed agonizingly slow. The kids passed the time by reading Gone With The Wind and playing poker. Johnny was the most interested in the story than even the twins, even if he didn't know much about the Civil War and plantations. Ponyboy often had to pause during the book in order to explain much of the context to Johnny.  
The twins were amazed at how Johnny could get more meaning out the book than either Curtis twin could. Johnny, who had failed a year in school and never got good grades - he just couldn't grasp ideas and concepts that were shoved at him too fast, so the teachers must've assumed he was just plain dumb. But the twins were seeing more and more - that wasn't the case, he was just a little slow to pick things up, and he liked to explore things once he did understand them. The older boy was especially stuck on the concept of the Southern Gentleman - impressed by their manners and charms.  
"I bet they were cool ol' guys," Johnny was saying, eyes just glowing, after ponyboy had read up to the part about them riding into Sure death because they were gallant. "They remind me of dally."  
"Dally?" Tiffany said with a laugh.  
"Shoot Johnny, Dally ain't got more manners than I do. And you saw how he treated those girls the other night. Soda's more like them southern boys." Ponyboy quipped.  
"Yeah ... in the manners and charm bit I guess. But one night. I saw Dally getting picked up by the fuzz, and he kept real cool and calm the whole time. They was gettin' him for breakin' out the windows of the school building. But it was two-bit who did it, and Dally knew it too. But he just took the sentence without battin' an eye or even Denyin' it. Now that's gallant."  
It was then that the twins realized the full extent of johnny's hero-worship for Dallas Winston. Pony didn't say nothing in response, he just finished up the section of the book they were on, and then the three went to the back steps of the church to watch the sun. They never went to the front of the church, for fear of being spotted.  
They spent the rest of the fourth day outside until the sun sank, then they went back inside and used one of the candles they had found in the church so they could play cards for a little bit. They'd play until the candle was half way gone, then they'd blow it out and lay down, huddled close to one another for warmth and talk until they fell asleep.  
On the fifth day, Tiffany nearly vomited during breakfast when she had to eat yet another baloney sandwich. Even ponyboy and Johnny were growing tired of the meal. Pony was shaking like a leaf, jonsing for a Pepsi, he was throughly deprived of caffeine and started smoking like a Train.  
By late morning/closer to noon Pony had gotten to Sherman's siege of Atlanta in their book, Tiffany owed Johnny 200 bucks from poker, and then Pony ended up having smoked two packs of Camels and got sick (just like Johnny had warned). Ponyboy curled up in a corner to sleep off the smoke, and Johnny and Tiffany slipped onto the backsteps to give him some quiet.  
The pair had also wanted some time alone as well, no one in the gang knew they'd been seeing each other for months. And sleeping so close to one another for almost a week had worked up some other feelings inside them that they weren't to sure of.  
After a few minutes, A long and high pitched whistle could be heard, and the pair thought it was ponyboy. So they quickly separated themselves, standing up and Tiff flattening her hair down. They'd been kissing and Johnny had grabbed the back of her hair, making it frizz up.  
"That won't pony..." Tiffany said, slipping back inside the church now and grinning when he saw Dally nudge at Pony's side. "Hey dally!" Tiffany exclaimed as ponyboy was siting up and rubbing his eyes.  
"Hey Tiff," he smiled back and then laughed. "You two sure look different with them hair cuts."  
He was eyeing Johnny and Tiffany over when they gathered closer to where he was standing. Their lips were still red and swollen from the kissing. But before dally could even think to ask about it, ponyboy was shooting off questions "how's Sodapop? Are the fuzz after ya? Is Darry okay? Do the boys know we're we are? What -"  
"Slow your roll, kid," Dally interrupted him "I can't answer everything at once. You three want to get something to eat first? I skipped breakfast and I'm about to starve."  
"You're starved?" Johnny said with such indignantion, his voice cracked.  
"Is it safe to go out?" Tiffany asked with earnest.  
"Yeah. The fuzz ain't gon' be looking for you 'round here. They think you've lit out for Texas. Anyway, I got Buck's T-Bird parked down the road a little way. Gosh almighty, kids, ain't y'all been Eatin' anything?"  
Johnny looked a bit startled when he answered "yeah, what gave you the idea we ain't been?"  
Dally shook his head, "y'all as pale as can be, and you've all lost weight. After this, get out into the sun more." He started to fumble with a piece of paper in his back pocket "oh. Ponyboy, Tiffany. I gotta letter for you two."  
"From who?" They both asked in unison.  
"Jimmeny. It still is freaky when you two do that. It's from Soda, idiots, who else?"  
"Sodapop?" They spoke in unison once more.  
"But how did he...?" Ponyboy started to ask.  
"He came 'round Buck's a couple days ago for something and found your old sweatshirt . I tried telling him I didn't know where you guys were, but he didn't believe me. So he gave me this letter and half his paycheck to give to y'all. Ponyboy, kid, you have to see Darry. He's takin' this mighty hard. Blaming' himself..." but pony wasn't listening.  
Both the twins stood together to read the letter;

_Ponyboy and Tiffany, _  
_Well. It looks like you two got into some trouble, huh? Darry and me nearly went nuts when you ran out like that pony, and then Tiffany running after you? Darry is awful sorry about hitting you like that Pony, you know he didn't mean it. And then you two and Johnny turned up missing and what with that dead kid in the park, and dally getting hauled into the station? It scared Darry and me something awful. The police came by to question us and we told them as much as we could. It's still unbelievable that little old Johnny could kill anyone. I know Dally knows where you two are at, but y'all know him. He just keeps his mouth shut tight and won't say nothing to me about it. Darry ain't got the slightest clue where y'all are at and it's about to kill him. I wish y'all would come back turn yourselves in, but I guess you can't since Johnny could get hurt. Y'all sure are famous, got your pictures in the paper even. Please take care of each other, and tell Johnny I said hi. _

_Sodapop Curtis _

"How come you got hauled in?" Ponyboy asked as Tiffany took the letter from him to read it over again.  
"Awh shoot. Them boys at the station know me. I get hauled in for everything that happens on ur turf. While I was there I kinda let it slip that y'all was headin' for Texas. Well, y'all want something to eat or not?"  
"Yes please," Tiffany hopped up, giving pony the letter back so he could tuck it in his jacket.  
They drove down the mountain doing 85, dally sure did love to speed. Dally took them to a Dairy Queen and they picked out on BBQ sandwiches.  
While they were eating Dally spoke up "I forgot to tell y'all. The Socs And us, is are having an All-out-war over the whole city. That kid you killed had lots of friends and all over town it's Socs versus greasers. We can't walk alone at all now, and I started carryin' a gun."  
"Dallas!" Tiffany gasped as she finished her third sandwich. "You kill me people with guns!"  
"And ya kill 'em with switchblades too, don't ya?" Dally said in a hard voice as Johnny gulped. "Don't worry. It ain't loaded, I ain't aimin' to get picked up for murder. But it sure does help a bluff. But tomorrow in the vacant lot, were having the biggest rumble yet to deck it out. Oh yeah, and 'fore I forget. We got us a spy."  
"Spy?" Johnny questioned, looking up from his banana split. "Who?"  
"That firey little thing I tried to pick up that night you killed the Soc. The red-head, Cherry something."  
The three kids gagged "Cherry?" They all asked together.  
"YeH. She came over to the vacant lot the other night when two-bit got jumped. He was fine though. She came saying she felt like this whole mess was her fault. So she said she'd keep up with what was comin' off with the Socs in the rumble and would testify that the Socs were drunk and looking for a fight. And that you fought back in self-defense."  
They talked a bit more about Cherry and what was happening back home. When Johnny finished off another sandwich he announced "we're goin' back and turnin' ourselves in."  
Now Dally gagged, "What?" He demanded of the boy after a long string of swears.  
"I said, were goin' back and turnin' ourselves in. I got a good chance of being let off easy," Johnny sounded desperate, and the twins could tell he wasn't trying to convince dally. "I ain't got a record with the fuzz and it was self-defense. Cherry and the twins can testify to that. And if Tiffany testifys what he was doing to her...besides we can't hide in that church forever." He took a sigh "we won't tell you helped us. And i'll give you the gun and rest of the money back. Say we hitchhiked back so you won't get in no trouble."  
They left the restaurant and got back in the car, heading back up to the church. "You sure?" Dally asked.  
Johnny nodded "I'm sure. It ain't fair for pony and tiff to stay up in that church with Darry and soda worryin' all the time over them," Johnny looked to the side and tried not to look eager "I don't guess my parents are worried over me or anything?" Johnny's folks were the worst kinda folks, didn't care about him at all. Either they ignored him, or his mom screamed at him, or his dad beat him.  
"The gang is worried. two-Bit was gonna go to Texas to hunt you down."  
"My folks," Johnny insisted "did they ask about me?"  
"No," dally snapped. "They didn't. Blast it, Johnny, what do They matter?" Johnny just stared at the dashboard looking so sad that Tiffany wanted to cry.  
After dally had ripped out the parking lot, he growled as he flew down the road. "Dammit it Johnny. Why didn't you think of turning yourself in five days ago? Coulda saved a lot of trouble."  
"I was scared," he admitted. "Still am...guess we ruined y'all's hair for nothing."  
"Guess so," pony said softly. He was glad to be going back. He was sick of that church and wouldn't have cared if he was bald.  
Dally finally sighed "Johnny. I ain't mad at you. I just don't want you gettin' hurt. You don't know what a few months in jail can do to you. Blast it. Johnny, you get hard in jail. I don't want that to happened to you. Like it did me."  
"You rather I be living in hide-outs for the rest of my life?"  
But before dally could say anything back, he slammed on his brakes and whispered in a startled voice "god damn!" The old church was on fire!  
Ponyboy hopped out "let's see what the deal is."  
"Why?" Dally asked, irritated. "Get back in here before I beat your head in!" But pony was already running up the hill.


	7. Chapter 7

Tiffany ran after ponyboy "hold on! Pony, Dally is gonna knock you upside your head!"  
"Shush," he waved at her to be quiet as he tapped on the shoulder of a grownup. "What's going on mister?"  
The man he tapped on gave a big grin before shrugging "we don't know for sure. We were having a school picnic up here and before we knew it the whole place was burning up. Thank the lord this is a wet season and that this old thing is worthless anyways," then he turned to the children before shouting "stand back, kids! The firemen will be coming soon."  
"I bet we started it," Tiffany muttered to Johnny, who had also run after the twins. "One of us must've dropped a lit cigarette or something."  
As she was speaking, a lady came running up, "Jerry! Some of the kids are missing!"  
"They're probably around here somewhere. You can't tell with all this excitement where they might be."  
The woman shook her head, "no. They've been missing for at least thirty minutes. I thought they were climbing the hill..."  
Then everyone froze, because faintly - just faintly - you could hear someone yelling. "That's coming from inside the church..." Tiffany whispered fearfully.  
The woman turned white as a ghost, "I told them not to play in the church..." she looked liked she was about to start screaming, so jerry shook her.  
"I'll get them, don't worry!" He yelled just as ponyboy started a dead run for the church. "I'll get them! You kids stay out!" He tried to say, grabbing at pony's arm.  
Of course, ponyboy jerked loose and continued to run. "Ponyboy Wait!" Tiffany yelled, running after him, he couldn't do it alone.  
Pony threw a large rock through the window, because the door was up in flames, and pulled himself in with Tiffany following right behind him. Pony got in safely, and grabbed his sister as she stumbled in - accidentally cutting her cheek on a shard of class.  
"Hey, guys." The twins looked behind them, startled. they didn't realize Johnny had come in behind them as well. Pony took too deep of a breath and started to cough, smoke filling his eyes and lungs.  
"That guy coming?" Pony asked in between coughs.  
"Nah. Window stopped him."  
"Too scared?" Tiffany asked.  
"Too fat," Johnny said with a grin. After they looked around for a bit, with Tiffany covering her face with her arm, Johnny shouted over the roaring sounds of the flames "where are those kids?!"  
"Probably in back!" Ponyboy hollered back and they all started to stumble through the church. The cinders and embers started to fall on them, and it stung like the dickens. Johnny pushed open the door to the back room of the church and found five little kids, no more than 8 years old at the most, huddled together in a corner. One of them was screaming his head off and Tiffany shouted at him, "shut up! We're gonna get you all out!" the little kid looked shocked, but stopped hollering.  
Johnny looked over his shoulder, but by now the flames had blocked the back door they came in at. He turned back around, pushed open the window and then tossed the nearest kid out. His face was red-marked now from the falling embers, and he was streaked with sweat, but he grinned at the twins nonetheless. Pony quickly followed suit, picking up a kid (who promptly bit him) and then dropped him out the window with Tiffany quick behind him with one of the smaller children in her arms.  
By this time. A crowd had formed and Dally was at the window screaming as soon as he saw Tiffany "for Pete's sake! Get outta there now! That roof is gonna give any second now! Forget those blasted kids!"  
None of them paid his words any kind, but as pony was grabbing another kid, Johnny shoved Tiffany out the window. "We got the last of 'em! Get out!" She wanted to argue, but Dally had grabbed ahold of her and ripped her out the window.  
Her jacket was in flames and her bare legs were burnt up. "Holy Hell," dally was sayIng to himself as he smacked her back to put out the flames, just as pony came leaping out of the window in a similar condition.  
Except when dally hit ponyboy, he passed out just as they all heard Johnny scream. Tiffany watched as Dally leaped in to save him, and before she could make sure they were okay - she passed out too.

Tiffany came too in the ambulance, getting bounced around - which quite frankly hurt like hell. A woman she recognized as the frantic teacher sat beside her and spoke "I think she's coming around," and then pressed a cold rag to her face.  
"Where..." she stirred, trying to sit up.  
The woman eased her back down, "take it easy hun. You're in an ambulance, headed to the hospital."  
"Where's Johnny?" She started to cry, remembering his screams. "And dally? My brother, ponyboy?"  
"They're all in different ambulances, just stay calm. You're gonna be fine. You passed out from the smoke, and you're legs have some pretty nasty burns. When you're friend grabbed you out that window your jacket was up in flames, it was the only thing to save burning your back and probably your life."  
"What about Johnny? Dally? Ponyboy?"  
"Whose, who?" She asked gently.  
"Johnny's got black hair. Dally was the big mean looking fellow. And ponyboy is my twin brother, he's got hair same color as mine."  
"The big looking one is gonna be just fine we think. One arm got burned bad when he dragged that other kid out the window, Johnny. Your brother looked fine too, maybe some burns and breathing in too much smoke. But that Johnny friend of yours, we don't know, a piece of timber hit him and knocked him out cold. He looked really burned up and they said he might have a broken back. They were setting up to give him plasma when they hauled off with him,"  
Tiffany started to sob again, and the woman changed the subject. "You kids are the bravest people I ever seen. First you three kids running into that church, and the tough looking one going in to save your Johnny friend? Jerry and I think you were sent from heaven."  
"No way. We're greasers, from the hood. Johnny is wanted for murder and dally got a mile long record."  
"You're joking?"  
"No. Take us to town and you'll find out quick."  
"That's where we're headed now to the hospital. The address card in the billfold of that one kid, ponyboy, said it was were you all must live. That his real name?"  
"Yeah...the little kids? They okay?"  
"A little scared, but they are just fine."  
Tiffany slipped back to sleep, the smoke must've given her some sort of exhaustion. She didn't wake up again until she'd been admitted to the hospital.

Tiffany woke up when they brought her to a room, pony standing beside her. "You Okay?" She asked.  
"Yeh. A few burns a big ol' bruise from dally hitting me. But I'm fine."  
"Am I Okay?"  
He smiled. "You got some bad burns on your legs, stupid skirts are good for nothing. But the doctor said they'll heal up just fine, you'll have some tough scars though. That cut on your face was nothing, and you got a bruise like mine. Thanks to dally."  
"How are they?"  
"Dally seems fine, threatened to beat the tar outta us if we pulled something like that again...Johnny was unconscious still, I couldn't look at him."  
They talked some more, and pony introduced her to jerry, the man that rode in his ambulance car. Ponyboy and jerry left the room when the doctor came in, needing to exam the extent of Tiffany's burns and to wrap them in a protective gauze.  
When he left, she could hear soda and Darry outside the room. She could also hear the doctor stop them from entering "I wanted to talk to you first. You're her guardian?"  
She heard Darry's voice, "I'm her legal guardian. What is it? Can't we see her?"  
"Of course, I just wanted to talk to you first. She has a large bruise on her back where one of her friends hit her, trying to put out flames on her jacket. Because she had a skirt, the fire burned her legs all up to her upper thigh. They aren't the worst case of burns ever, but she'll need a wheelchair while they heal. Change her gauze at least twice a day for the first few weeks, and then once a day until completely healed. I'll also send home some burn cream with you to use, it'll ease the pains."  
"Is that all?" Sodapop's voice sounded worried.  
"From today's incident yes. But there was something else, they had to remove her clothing in the ambulance because of how high up the burns on her legs went. The EMT noticed some old bruising, maybe a week or two, at her pelvic area. Has she been assaulted?"  
Ponyboy's voice wavered, "it was that Soc."  
"What?" Darry and Sodapop asked together, anger bubbling in their voices.  
"The night Johnny killed that Soc. It was because he was raping her."  
"The boy in the burn unit wanted for murder?" The doctor asked.  
"Yeah."  
"I have to report this to the police, and it may have just saved him from being charged with murder."  
After that, all three of Tiffany's brothers barged in. "Oh thank god you're alright," soda ran over to the bed and hugged his sister right.  
"Easy Sodapop." Darry chided, noticing how their sister winced at the tight hug. "I'm so glad you both are safe...we heard what happened."  
"I heard you talking outside, I figured they'd know, I'd been sore down there still."  
"I woulda killed him myself," Darry gruffed out.  
"I can't believe you and pony did that to both your heads!" Soda exclaimed, not wanting to talk about the attack.  
"We look like real pansies huh?" Tiffany smiled, not wanting to talk on it either.  
"The doctors said you can come home today in a day or two."  
"Are my legs that bad?"  
"No," Sodapop said gently. "Something about second and third degree burns. He said that your legs will take a few months to heal all the way, and that they will hurt for awhile so to use a wheelchair that they sending you home with. You'll probably have some scars from the worser areas."  
"That's what pony said."  
Tiffany asked a nurse if she could go to the waiting room, wanting to be with her brothers when a doctor came out to tell them about dally and Johnny.  
"Alright, But you have to be easy. No trying to stand or push yourself. Got it?"  
"Yes ma'am."  
"Good," she went and got a wheelchair, the older brothers helping the nurse get their sister seated.  
Darry wheeled her out, and they sat in the waiting room. That's when a hoard of reporters came in asking a million questions to the twins. At first they were trying to answer questions, but they asked so many and so fast, that the twins started to get dizzy with confusion.  
That's when Darry told them to back off, and that neither kid was in the condition to be answering so many questions. As big and tough looking as the eldest Curtis could get, they probably got scared - so they slowed down.  
Sodapop kept them all in stitches too, grabbing one man's press hat, another's camera and pretended to interview nurses. Ponyboy got hold of some hair grease and combed back his hair before they tried to get pictures. And Tiffany swiped a headband from a nurse to push her hair back and down, no longer able to pull it into a ponytail because it was too short.  
They even took pictures of all four of them together, jerry said it was on account of soda and Darry being so handsome.  
Soon soda got bored, as he always did, and stretched out on a long bench and put his head in Darry's lap and fell asleep. Neither of the older boys had gotten much sleep during the week, and were rightfully tired.  
Just as Darry waved them off for good, needing to get Tiffany back to her room, one of them turned around and asked the twins "what would you do right now if you could anything you wanted?"  
Pony answered tiredly, "take a bath."  
And Tiffany, just as tired, "eat two whole pizzas."  
The reporters thought that was funny, but they meant it. Tiffany wanted to stay in the waiting room, but the nurse wouldn't have it. So she took the girl back to her room to get more rest and have her burns checked on.  
That left the three brothers waiting alone for word on Johnny and dally. Sodapop was breathing slow though, soft and quiet. Darry stared at him, grinning "he didn't get much sleep this week. Hardly slept at all."  
Soda sighed drowsily, "neither did you."  
They finally got hold of a doctor to tell them about the others, and then they headed for Tiff's room.  
"You hear anything?" She asked drowsily, they'd given her some more medicine and it was making her heavy with sleep.  
"Yeah. Dally is gonna he okay, got a bad burn on his arm that'll be scared forever, but it'll be fine in a few weeks," Darry was explaining.  
"Johnny?"  
"He's bad off Tiff. They were saying he has third-degree burns all down his back. His back has a fracture, the doctor said he's lucky it wasn't broke or he'd be paralyzed. He keeps calling for you and pony and dally."  
Tiffany started to cry, and when her nurse came in to check on her, she knocked the woman's hands away. "I'm fine! Why I even gotta stay in this stupid hospital! I'm fine! All you're doing in poking me and moving me around!"  
"Tiffany June!" Darry said sternly. "There's no need to be rude."  
"We'll come to see you after work, promise Tiff." Sodapop said gently, running his fingers through her hair.  
"I don't wanna be alone, don't make me stay here." She begged them.  
"I know Tiff," soda sighed.  
"But you have to stay at least over night. We'll talk to the doctor tomorrow. Okay?" Soda tried to make her feel better.  
It didn't really work, but the medicine they gave her, made her fall asleep before she could beg some more.  
Darry pulled the thin hospital blanket over her, and landed a kiss (not so tough looking, huh?) to the top of her head before taking his brothers out the room. "Let's head home. Nothing else we can do here. And we all need some sleep."


	8. Chapter 8

When the boys got home, Darry ended up having to carry ponyboy into the house and to bed. The youngest brother had fallen asleep in the truck and couldn't be woken for anything.  
"He's getting mighty big to be carried," soda said with a yawn.  
"He's sure lost a lot of weight though," Darry sighed.  
"Bet Tiff has too then..."  
When Darry plopped the boy into bed, soda took of the kid's shoes and shirt - then promptly passed out beside him.  
When ponyboy woke up the next morning, he wiggled himself out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.  
Ponyboy made breakfast, as it was the house rule whoever woke up first made the morning meal.  
Two-Bit and Steve showed up while he was cooking, teased him for his hair, and showed him the morning paper.  
It had been titled "juvenile delinquents turned heros," and told the story about the church, the Soc being killed, that Johnny was being charged with manslaughter, and a little about the Curtis' life situation - plus the fact the twins had to appear in juvenile court for running away.  
Dally got up next, and told the two older boys to quit messing with pony before he headed off to take a shower.  
He stopped outside Tiffany's room and sighed softly, in deep thought. "what's wrong Dar?" Ponyboy asked, seeing his brother pause at their sister's room.  
"She probably missing that cat," he meant the stuffed cat plush that sat in the middle of her bed. It was soft and cool to the touch.

Dally had won it at a traveling carnival almost two years ago. The twins were just about to turn 12 at the time, and it'd only been a month since their folks had died. She swore up and down it was all she wanted for her birthday, she wouldn't even ask for a cake, as long as they won it for her. Darry had said no, they didn't have the money to waste to try and win the thing. But dally had a soft spot for the kid, and spent 12 bucks to win it. And true to her word, two months later when their birthday rolled around, she answered 'nothing' to what do you want. She'd slept with it every night since.  
"I'll run it by the hospital before work," he mumbled, going to take his shower before heading to work.

Two-bit volunteered to watch ponyboy during the day while Darry and soda went to work. Darry thanked him, grabbed the stuffed cat and headed out "We Better hurry, since I'm stopping by the hospital." They heard the eldest say.  
Two-bit and ponyboy hung out for a bit and then they headed to the hospital to visit everyone. They checked in on Tiffany first, she was up by now. They found her holding onto the cat Darry brought by, and watching some movie the tv in her room was playing.  
"Good god almighty, Tiffany! I thought pony's hair looked bad!"  
Tiffany looked up and grinned "hey!" And then she pouted, "don't remind me."  
"You must've cut off two feet of hair. It used to be down close to your ass, now look at it! All the way to your chin!"  
"How you feeling?" Ponyboy asked.  
"I've been better. My legs starting to hurt awful bad now. The nurse gave me some more medicine before Darry swung by and put some type of cream on my legs when she changed the bandages and it helped."  
"How bad are they?" Two-bit asked with a surpassing amount of seriousness in his voice.  
Tiffany shrugged, "they said I won't be able to walk for a month at least, the burns gotta heal. If I try to walk it's hurt to much, and make the burns crack open and bleed. Or something like that, you know doctors and nurses, using all kinds of words we don't understand to make ya feel stupid. How's Johnny and dally?"  
"We haven't gone to see them yet, came to see your ugly mug first."  
"You know you love me two-bit."  
"Maybe if you were three years older babe." She cracked a smile at that. "When they letting you come home?"  
"Darry said maybe when he gets off work, he's gotta talk to the doctor. But they want me to stay until at least tomorrow really."  
"Shoot kid, y'all really go all out when you do something huh?"  
"S'pose."  
"You Alright though? With everything else?"  
"I'm fine two-bit. I don't need babying." She knew he must mean her attack, soda must've told him and Steve.  
"We're about to go see Johnny next. Want us to say hi?" Pony asked.  
"Yeah. Tell him I'm okay and not to worry about me either. I know how he gets," two-bit raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as they said goodbye and left for Johnny's room.  
The doctor let them in to see Johnny. They had him laying on his stomach and a type of cast holding him in place, they were worried if he moved too much it'd cause a break in the fracture in his back. Not to mention he was so badly burned they had to be careful with him.  
"Too bad you and dally can't come to the rumble tonight. It's the first big one we've had," two-bit was saying to Johnny as he laid in that bed, barely moving cause of his pains. "But listen, you know you got your name in the paper for being a hero?"  
Johnny grinned, happy to hear that. And ponyboy knew he must've felt like a true southern gentleman. "You want anything other than hair grease?" Ponyboy asked.  
"The book..."  
Two-bit seemed confused, so ponyboy explained "he wants a copy of gone with the wind, so I can read it to him. Can you run to the drugstore and get one?"  
"Sure. Don't y'all run away on me." He joked before heading out.  
"Dally's gonna be fine, they said all he's got is a burned arm. And tiff is alright too, she's gonna need a wheelchair for a month or so they said. Her legs got burned awful bad."  
"She'll walk though?" Johnny looked frightened, and struggled to speak through his pain.  
"Yeah. Her legs just gotta heal for awhile. She asked me to tell you not to worry about her." Johnny smiled.  
"She sure is something else."  
Just then the nurse came in, "Johnny, your mother is here to see you."  
Johnny looked to the nurse with a cold stare, "I don't want to see her."  
"Shes your mother."  
"I said I don't want to see her! She's probably just come to the me about all the trouble I'm causing! Tell her to leave me alone! For once," his voice broke. "For once just to leave me alone," and then he gasped, suddenly passing out from working himself up,  
The nurse rushed ponyboy out the room, needing to tend to him. two-bit was just coming back to, so the nurse informed him that Johnny couldn't have visitors right now. "Can you just give him this? Make sure he sees it?" He handed her the book. She took the book and went back into his room, closing the door behind her.  
"Let's go visit Dally, then we can let Tiffany know how they're doing." Ponyboy said as they walked out into the hallway, spotting Johnny's mother. She was a short and skinny woman, she had straight black hair and big black eyes just like Johnny's.  
As the two boys were passing her, she was yelling at a nurse "But I have a right to see him! he's my son. After all the trouble his father and I have gone to, to raise him! This is our reward! He'd rather see those no-good hoodlums than his own folks..." Ponyboy noticed Tiffany coming out of her room in a wheelchair, her and Johnny were both in the burn unit and their rooms weren't far apart.  
"What is all this noise?" Tiffany started to ask, her nurse had gotten her out of bed just moments before the yelling to try and get her used to working the wheelchair.  
Johnny's mother wheeled around, not noticing Tiffany as she stared at Two-Bit and Ponyboy, "It was your fault! Always running around in the middle of the night getting jailed and heaven knows what else -"  
It looked like she was about to cuss the boys out when Tiffany started to shout. "No wonder he hates your guts! You're an awful old woman-" the girl started to call the woman names that Ponyboy didn't even know his twin knew. The words made even Two-bit shocked. The nurse that was with Tiffany grabbed the handles to her wheelchair, trying to quiet Tiffany down as she was getting so worked up.  
"Get that woman out of here, she's causing enough problems," Tiff's nurse snapped at a nearby security guard, Tiffany still cussing up a storm that would've landed her right across even Sodapop's knee.  
"And another thing!" Tiffany yelled louder as Johnny's mother was being escorted out, but she fell into a fit of coughs.  
"I told you not to work yourself up young lady. You're still weak from smoke inhalation. I think we should try getting around later." The nurse, who was barely older than Darry from her looks, was scolding the girl. "You boys go on with visiting your other friend, I've got her," she sent the two off as she wheeled Tiffany back into her room.  
The nurse's firm words seemed to have put Tiffany back in her place, as she continued to cough but looked at her lap trying to speak "sorry...ma'am."  
"Let's get you a few puffs of that inhaler and then some water," her voice had softened by now.  
"Boy howdy," Two-bit rubbed the back of his head "I didn't even know your sister could cuss like that."  
"Me neither. I've never heard Tiff cuss like that. I didn't even know half them words...Hope the nurse don't tell Darry, he'll give her a lecture for an hour," Pony groaned just imagining it as they entered Dally's room.  
They all talked for a bit, and during their conversation Dally scratched the back of his head before asking Ponyboy "Hey kid. You know anything about Johnny and Tiff?"  
"Huh? Oh they're fine. Tiff's getting a good lecture from her nurse right now though."  
Dally reached out and smacked the boy across the back of his head, "Not that idiot. When you all were at that church. you didn't notice nothing going on between them?"  
"No? We spent most the time reading and playing cards. WHy?"  
"You sure are stupid, for being so smart. They're sweet on each other."  
"Geez, Pone. EVen I picked up on that. Why you think she asked us to tell him she was alright, and that whole bit about 'i know how he can get."  
"No way. They're just friends is all."  
"Kid. That day I came by to see y'all, they came fumbling inside from the back porch. Tiff's hair was all messed up, and they'd obviously been neckin'."  
Two-bit laughed, "I can't believe you didn't pick up on any of that Pony. They mustva been sneaking outside when you was sleeping to go make-out!" Pony turned red at the thought of his sister and his best friend out at that church kissing while he slept clueless.  
After Two-bit teased the kid some more, Dally asked for Two-bit's blade (and it was Two-bit's favorite possession, so Dally must've really needed it). After that, they said goodbye and went to see Tiffany for a few more minutes again to give updates. She was resting now though, having worked herself up enough to tire herself out, so her nurse made her take a nap. The nurse promised to give Tiffany the boys' updates though. They thanked her and then left the hospital to hang out some more before Darry and Sodapop got home. Cherry showed up to give Two-bit some details on the rumble and then talked to Ponyboy alone for a moment.  
"Bob was really a nice guy, just not when he was drunk," was something she tried to say to Ponyboy who grew hard and let out a scoff.  
"Tell that to my sister." BUt before Cherry could ask, Two-bit said they needed to head home.  
Two-bit and Ponyboy got home just as Darry was finishing up supper, "Come on and sit down. We need to eat before the rumble." He was saying.  
"How's Tiff?" Sodapop asked then.  
"She's okay, she over-worked herself while we were there. So her nurse made her lay down for a nap."  
"What she do?" Darry asked as he plated up everyone with food.  
"They had her trying out the wheelchair they set her up with."  
And then Two-bit just had to cut in, "Johnny's mom showed up and was hollering, when Tiff came out and heard it she cussed her out. That little girl sure has a mouth," Two-bit gave them all a reenactment of what Tiffany had said at the hospital.  
"Where'd she learn all them words," Steve was laughing, surprised that the little Curtis sister had that kind of fire in her.  
Darry had spit his food out, "I'll be having some words with her when I call to check on her before the rumble." Even Soda seemed flabbergasted at the words his baby sister had used.  
After they ate, Darry told everyone to get ready to head out, made the phone call to the hospital, gave Tiffany a long lecture, and then got ready for the rumble himself.


	9. Chapter 9

Dally had busted out of the hospital with Two-Bits blade to show up at the rumble. In the end, the greasers won the rumble against the Socs, and the whole gang went to the hospital to tell Tiffany and Johnny. One of the doctors ended up grabbing Ponyboy because his head bleeding from where he got knocked into (they lied and said that they'd been playing football and accidentally tackled him too hard to the gravel ground). Johnny smiled tiredly as he was told about how the fight went down, and then asked for them to leave as he was tired from the morphine they'd given him.  
Tiffany was more excitable, wishing she could've been there and joined in (Which Darry wouldn't have allowed even if she was completely healthy). Darry promised that she was getting released in the morning, and he'd pick her up since he didn't have work.  
When they were getting ready to leave, Pony asked if he could talk to her alone. The gang shrugged, used to the twins wanting to only be with one another, and went to the waiting area until Ponyboy was done. "Earlier today, Dally said he thinks you and Johnny are sweet on one another. Are you two going steady?"  
Tiff blushed, "We were gonna tell everyone..."  
"Why didn't y'all tell me?"  
"We didn't know how."  
"How long?"  
"Almost three months. We didn't even mean for it to happen."  
"How did it happen?"  
Tiffany sighed, hugging her stuffed cat against her chest as she started the story. "You were home sick from school with a bad headcold. So Johnny came to walk me to school, and said he'd walk me back. I don't really know what it was, after school we stopped by the drugstore and got cokes and just hung out for a bit. We were just talking and he said some stupid pick-up line that Dally had probably taught him, and it made me laugh. I didn't realize how pretty his eyes were until then...After that we started talking more. In between classes, sneaking off ot be by ourselves. If you were hanging out with Soda you get lost, not really noticing if we slipped away. And no one else barely noticed us anyways, seeing how we rarely make much noise." She paused, looking out her window and at a streetlamp. "We wanted to tell you, but were worried how you would react. So we were just going to tell everyone together. But it never seemed like a good time, and so it just never happened..."  
The twins talked for a few more minutes about it, and Ponyboy promised not to tell Soda or Darry, but he did say she needed to tell them soon. After that he left, going to find the rest of the gang still waiting - and then went home.

The next day At 8am, Darry woke up and checked in on his brothers. Both were still asleep in bed, so Darry took a quick shower and made himself breakfast before plopping front of the TV. He couldn't get Tiffany until 11:30.  
Soda woke up next and woke up ponyboy away so they could eat with Darry. They then watched some tv before Darry left At 11:20. "There's leftovers from last night y'all can heat up for lunch. I'll be back with tiff in a bit."  
When he got to the hospital, he signed for Tiffany's discharge, and then had to listen to the doctor explain how to treat her legs - again. "And if you have any questions or concerns call the hospital and an onstaff nurse can help you," he said at the end.  
"Thank you sir," Darry answered politely as the doctor handed him a packet of discharge papers.  
"Miss Tiffany is just finishing up with her nurse, and then you both can go home."  
At that the doctor left and Darry went to his sisters room. Tiffany was siting in her wheelchair, with the nurse explaining how the break system on it worked. "And if I hear you're trying to walk before we said so, I'll come and find you and skin you myself."  
"Yes ma'am." Tiffany was pouting, Darry was going to have his hands full with her.  
"You must be her guardian?" The nurse asked with a smile when he saw Darry standing at the doorframe.  
"Ah yeah. I'm Darry." He stuck his hand out to shake the young woman's hand.  
"I'm Holly. I've been Tiffany's main nurse the last few days. I'm also in charge of her home visits while she's healing, so I'll be seeing you a lot?" It was a question.  
"Uh. Depending on the time. You'll probably see my little brother, Sodapop more. I work days and he works nights."  
"Well I look forward to meeting him as well. Keep a close eye on her. I've already caught her trying to stand up."  
"It's boring sitting and laying down all day Dar!"  
"If your nurse tells you not to do something I expect her to be listened too. I'll still put you over me knee, burnt legs or not."  
Tiffany turned a soft shade of pink at the threat, but simply pouted down at her lap. "Yes sir."  
"I'll come by this evening when I leave the hospital to check on her, and to help you change her bandages properly for the first time." The nurse was smiling fondly at Darry, who wouldn't be? Darry was extremely handsome, and anyone could see it.  
"Thank you for your help."  
Darry went to take the handles on his sister's wheelchair when the nurse spoke again, "try to have her push with the wheels as much as possible, it's okay to help her but she needs to be able to do it herself as well."  
"Yes ma'am," Darry smiled back at her, Holly was also extremely pretty and the man couldn't help but stare.  
"I'll see you this evening Okay Tiffany? Don't let me hear you've been giving your brothers a hard time."  
"She'll behave, I'll see to that," Darry chuckled at the permanent pout his sister seemed to have today.  
When they got out the truck, Darry lifted her up easily and placed her inside. She really had lost a lot of weight between barely eating at that church, and the awful hospital food. She had to be 90 pounds or less by now.  
"You want to stop at the carhop for burgers before we get home?"  
"Is it alright?"  
"Yeah. I'll even get us a milkshake?" Darry didn't order fast food for them often, since it was more expensive than cooking and they didn't have lots of money to spare.  
Tiffany agreed, so Darry folded her wheelchair up into the bed of the truck before climbing in and taking off.  
She ended up eating two cheeseburgers, a large order of fries, a chocolate shake, and then stole some of Darry's fries to top it off.  
"You really we're starving huh? They not feed you at that hospital?"  
"Sure, but it wasn't that tasty. I'd rather eat sodapop's dinner experiments."  
Darry couldn't help but laugh, Sodapop was always trying something different out when it was his turn to cook.  
"We should Head on back now," Darry said, taking up their trash and throwing it in the trash can beside the truck.  
"I really can't get up huh?"  
"Not until the nurse says you can start walking around again."  
"She was sayIng something about therapy. Some sort of special therapy they do when you get hurt. Since I gotta stay sitting for so long, she said my leg muscles are gonna be weak. So I gotta learn how to walk again. Isn't that funny sounding? I know how to walk."  
"Well, we will figure all that out when the time comes. Today imma make soda and pony do their chores and clean up before that nurse comes over."  
"You think she's cute?"  
"What?"  
"I saw you staring at her," Tiffany picked on her oldest brother, laughing when he got embarrassed.  
She continued to torment him the whole way home. When they pulled up to the house he roughed up her hair "Alright let Me go get soda. You can't use the wheelchair to get up the steps. So I'll have him bring it in and I'll carry you. So sit tight and don't try to get up." He warned as he hopped out the truck and headed inside.  
Tiffany sat in the truck obediently, waiting for her brothers to come outside. Soon enough, soda came leaping out of the house "hey Tiff!" He grinned, running up to the truck.  
"Hey Sodapop," the girl grinned.  
"You ready to get inside?"  
"I'm ready to get _up_."  
Darry came up behind Sodapop and patted his brother on the back "Alright Soda. Get her wheelchair inside. I'll get her."  
"Alright Dar," soda went to the bed of the truck and grabbed the wheelchair, hauling it out.  
"Ready?" Darry asked his sister.  
"Yeah," he opened the door and she reached out for him, her arms going to wrap around his neck for security.  
Darry slipped one of his arms under the girl's knees gently - not wanting to hurt her - and his other arm supported at her back. "We will get you inside and on the couch. I think Bewitched is on at this time? You like that show."  
"Yeah. I just wish I didn't have to stay stuck inside.."  
"I'm sorry Tiff. I'll try and get you out soon. Promise." Darry said sadly as he carried his sister inside.  
"Dar! Can I go visit Johnny today?" Ponyboy came running out the door at the sound of his brother's truck.  
"Sure. But he back before supper got it?"  
"Got it! Welcome home Tiff!" Pony called out as he ran down the steps of the house and down the block.  
Sodapop shook his head as he opened the door back up and went inside "he sure has a lot of energy today."  
They got Tiffany inside and situated on the couch. "You want anything?" Darry asked.  
"I'm fine.."  
"Alright, But you holler for one us if you need something alright? I'll be outside cleaning the yard. And you Sodapop Curtis, straighten up this house. TIff's nurse is coming by today to show us a few things."  
"Yeah, Yeah."  
"I mean Sodapop. I ain't afraid to whoop you too."  
Soda just grinned recklessly as Darry headed outside to cut the grass and clean up the yard. "He's all talk." Sodapop said to his little sister, but had started to pick up the living room as soon as the eldest Curtis child had went outside.  
~~~~~~~~

Darry was just finishing cooking dinner, with Tiffany having wheeled herself into the kitchen to help, when there was a knock at the door. "Probably Holly. None of the gang ever knocks." Darry said as he was putting the food down on the table. "Soda get the door!"  
"On it!" Soda was coming from the bathroom when Darry hollered for him.  
"Is this the Curtis residence?" They heard a female voice ask.  
"Sure is. You must be that pretty nurse Darry kept on about."  
"SODAPOP PATRICK!"  
You could practically hear soda grinning as Darry yelled his name like that. "Come on. They're in the kitchen. We was just about to eat. Wanna join?"  
"That's awful sweat of you."  
"It's just lasagna tonight. Sorry it's nothing fancy," Darry said, and you could tell he was trying to hide a blush.  
"That's just fine." They sat down at the table to eat, with Darry making a comment about Ponyboy being late.  
When they were halfway through eating, Ponyboy popped into the kitchen with a sheepish grin, knowing he was in trouble. "Hey Darry..."  
"Don't hey Darry me Ponyboy Curtis! You shoulda been home a half hour ago."  
"I'm sorry Dar! I just lost track of time."  
"Considering how our last week has been, Imma let you slide. But If it happens again -"  
"It won't!" Ponyboy swore, not wanting to hear the end of his threat.  
"Sit down and grab some food. We have a guest. This is Tiff's nurse, Holly."  
"We met a little at the hospital, hello ma'am." Ponyboy greeted her.  
"All Of you have such good manners," holly said with a laugh.  
"They better," Darry said with a grin.  
When they finished eating Ponyboy got up and grabbed the dishes, it was his turn to do them.  
"Thank you for the food, it was very good. Now I think we can get to business?"  
"Right. I put those bandages and medicine the doctor gave us in my room. I'll go get it. Soda, take tiff and holly into the living room please."  
"Please? Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"  
"Now Sodapop."  
"There he is," soda laughed as he pushed Tiffany out to the living room.  
"I'm going to show you how to change her bandages properly. After today I want you doing it, but I'll help if you have any problems." Holly was explaining as Darry came back out with the supplies.  
"Thanks for helping so much," Darry said. "It means a lot."  
"That's what I'm here for. Now, the burns are going to look scary at first, but don't worry." She grabbed a pair of dull scissors used to cut the bandages off. "First cut the old bandages off, straight up from bottom to top and pull them back easy. It isn't uncommon that they will get stuck a bit, but be gentle so you don't rip any wounds open. A little bleeding is fine, but we don't want to cause too much trauma." She was explaining as she cut the bandages off, and Tiffany just watched - horrified at how ugly her legs looked,  
"Jeez-" Sodapop muttered, his usual humorous self gone at the sight.  
"They'll get better with time. She'll have scars for sure. Now. Clean her legs with warm water and pat them dry like this," she showed them how to clean her legs up. Washing them gently before applying antibiotic creams. "And then this burn cream will help cool her legs and take away some pain." She said, taking said creams and rubbing it onto the girl's legs gently. "You're doing great Tiffany," Holly encouraged her, seeing how hard the kid was trying to stay quiet during the process - even if holly was gentle it still hurt. "And then you can wrap her legs back up with the new gauze, try to be gentle but make sure to wrap it firmly so it doesn't move around a lot," she explained as she did the job. "And at the end take these two ends of the bandages and tie them in a knot at her thigh."  
"You make it look easy.." Darry couldn't help but say.  
"It gets easier with time. And I'll help you tomorrow too. You want to change the bandages every day for the first few weeks to keep an eye on any infections she could get. But I want you to be doing it, so you can learn for days I can't be here. Now. She obviously can't take baths, and she can't stand for a shower. If you can get just a cheap plastic chair in the shower to sit her on that'll help. Unless you just want to give sponge baths? Either way she can't get the bandages wet. And she can't have the burns exposed to water for too long. So tomorrow when we take the old bandages off I'll show you how to wash her before reapplying new bandages. Sound good?"  
"Y-Yeah," both of the older brothers said, trying to take all the information they got, in. They were also a bit flustered at the idea of having to bathe their sister, she was a young lady now after all.  
"I know it sounds weird. And it's going to be a bit awkward at first for all of you. But she can't go without bathing for 4-10 weeks."  
They talked for a bit longer before Holly had to leave, and she gave Darry her number if he had questions (but soda teased after she left that it was because holly was getting sweet on Darry).  
"Can I sit on the porch?" Tiffany asked.  
"Sure. But you need to come in soon; you've still got schoolwork to catch up on. And then it's time for bed."  
"Okay."  
Sodapop helped Tiffany get outside since she had to hop over the doorframe. "If you need us holler." Soda made her promise before going back inside to play cards with pony. Even though Darry specifically said that pony needed to do his work too.


	10. Chapter 10

TW – Mentions of non-consensual/non-sexual spankings of minors by parental figure.

The next week went over with little problems. Holly came over every day around dinner time (and always stayed for dinner, one night she even brought dinner with her, chicken from a local restaurant). Sodapop and Darry took turns doing Tiffany's bandages to get better at it. Holly still had to help, guiding their hands when they got mixed up.  
And when it came to showers, Darry got a cheap plastic chair like Holly recommended. Tiffany kept her arms firmly planted over her chest (even though she'd barely sprouted there yet). The water made her legs hurt even worse, and the first day she sobbed into soda's arms as Holly showed Darry how to wash her legs.  
One of the days Holly was over, Pony had been moody and earned himself a whooping right there in front of her. Ponyboy could've died of embarrassment. Darry made him apologize to her, and then the kid ran to his room to wallow in his mortification.  
At the end of the first week, they had to go to family court about the twins running away and if they all got to stay with Darry or not.  
They dressed as nice as they could and then left for the court. It was a lot different than either of the twins thought it would be. They each took turns talking to the judge, who was actually really nice to them.  
They didn't sit at the chair beside the judge, but got to stay at some table in front of him. Tiffany couldn't stand with her brothers during the questions, but the judge said that it was okay and not to worry over it.  
When the Judge spoke to Tiffany, he first asked how she was feeling - he saw from her recent medical report that she'd been hurt bad in the fire.  
"I'm doing better, it still hurts a lot. But Darry and soda make sure I'm comfortable."  
Then He asked how she liked living with her brothers, and if Darry was ever mean to her.  
"It beats living in a girls' home. I guess he ain't meaner than he could be? Sometimes I get mad at him, and I don't always like his rules. But I guess it's like having a mom or dad, do the same."  
"What kind of rules do you have?"  
"We all got chores we gotta do. And Ponyboy and I have a curfew sooner than soda's. Sometimes that makes me mad, but soda's older and he's got a job. Pony and I also gotta keep up in our schoolwork. And we all take turns doing the dishes on different nights."  
"What happens when you don't follow the rules?"  
"Sometimes Darry just grounds us, and makes us come home straight from school. If we keep on or do something real bad, like getting in trouble at school he'll whoop us."  
"Does he ever hurt you when he does?"  
"I mean, don't whoopings always hurt?" She asked, a bit confused. "He don't beat us black and blue like Johnny's dad. But it stings something awful and sometimes you don't wanna sit down for the rest of the day."  
The judge couldn't keep the smile that came at her first comment. After some more questions, the judge said that they weren't in any trouble for running away, and that the other matter would be settled in a trial. But that he was going to allow them all to stay together.  
After they left, all four of the siblings went out to eat for lunch in celebration. Darry took them to a pizza place they all really liked, and then went home to eat chocolate cake and watch tv.  
They had to go back to court the next day for the trial. It took three days in all. The lawyers asked lots of questions too. The one on their side was nice and patient, but the other lawyer kept acting like they were the ones in the wrong.  
At one point Tiffany had lost her temper and went off, "only reason Johnny killed that son of a bitch is because he had his friend drowning my brother, and was raping me!" The judge banged his gavel when she was ranting, and they had to take a break for Tiffany to calm down.  
"Tiff. You gotta keep your cool. And I don't like you talking like that either," Darry was lecturing her during the ten minute break.  
"I'm sorry Darry. that lawyer is just so awful. Accusing us of stuff and acting like Johnny is all bad."  
They were able to go back and Tiffany kept her cool now, but every time she answered she said it with a bratty tone. In the end, all the charges on Johnny were found not guilty. And the Socs who'd beat them up got found guilty for assault, attempted murder, and rape since they'd helped it happen.  
The dead Soc's mom tried to come up to them after to badger them, but Tiffany cussed her out (which got her a lecture and soap in her mouth later).  
They took Johnny to their home after, he still hated his folks place, and they all ate supper together.  
Johnny's burns were healing up too, but he had to use crutches to get around while his back healed.  
After the trial, it'd been almost three weeks since Tiffany got out the hospital. By now Holly came by for check ups three days a week instead of every day, but the siblings heard Darry on the phone with her every night (and it wasn't to talk about Tiffany).  
One night after supper, Tiffany and Darry got into an argument because she had been giving him an attitude all day.  
"Tiffany June, if you don't knock off with this lip-"  
"Or what?!"  
Darry had, had enough. Not only was she mouthy, but now she was interrupting her?! "Darry-" soda knew where this was going, and he didn't like the idea of the girl getting spanked when she was still in a wheelchair.  
"No soda. I've been extra lenient with her because of her condition. But I won't have this disrespect." Darry lifted her out the chair by her underarms and tucked her neatly by his side.  
He made sure there was no stress on her legs as he swatted her bottom sharply. "Ow!"  
Ponyboy had left the kitchen by now, but soda stayed to make sure darry didn't hurt her on accident.  
Tiffany tried to wiggle from him, but was unsuccessful. "Darry stop! I'm sorry!"  
"You've had an attitude with me for two days Tiffany Curtis, and it _stops. Now."___He said the last two words with firm slaps to her bottom.  
"I'll stop I swear!" She started to cry.  
"Darry-"  
"She's fine Sodapop." He landed another smack, making her jerk and wail. "I ain't Hurting her. Now quit interfering," he landed a barrage of slaps, not gong to her thighs as he normally did, but he made sure her bottom was nice and warm before he sat her back down.  
"I'm sorry Darry. I won't give you lip no more. I swear!"  
"you better not, or next time I'm taking a spoon to your backside." He warned sternly, but took his sister into a hug as she cried.  
"I'm just-"  
"Just what honey?"  
"I get so fed up not being able to get around like usual. I'm stuck in this chair all day. Y'all gotta help me get out the house or do anything at all. It just makes me an frustrated."  
Darry sighed, "you know you can tell me these things before you get your butt tanned?"  
"Yes sir. I'm sorry."  
"Just a few more weeks okay? Holly said then you can start using crutches like Johnny's got, But it'll be hard at first. Your legs have got weak by now."  
"Okay." The youngest and older sat in the kitchen a bit longer, just wanting to be hugged. After Tiffany felt better, she let Darry take her on to her room to do her homework before bed.


	11. Chapter 11

The last few weeks Tiffany had to spend in her wheelchair also happened to be during the start of summer break, which was positively awful.  
Holly had once more been spending more time at their home, but it was to sit and talk with Darry more than anything. She'd come when she wasn't working and he was at home, even going as far as to cook dinner on some nights,  
Darry enjoyed her company too, but he still seemed more preoccupied with Tiffany and Ponyboy than a girl who was obviously into him.  
When tiff couldn't sleep one night, she'd slid herself into her wheelchair to get some of her pain medicine that was kept in the bathroom. Her legs still hurt a lot, and it seemed to be worse at night. On her way down the hall however she'd stopped when she heard soda and Darry talking.  
"Holly obviously digs you Dar. You should take her out one night when you're off. Instead of her coming around here all the time like a lost puppy."  
"I ain't got the time for dating, Sodapop. I gotta worry about pony and tiff. They still got three years of school left. And tiff is still bad off with her burns. I'd love to go to the movies with a Girl, but it ain't that easy when you gotta be a parent at the same time."  
"What was that?" Soda stood up when he heard Tiffany bump into the wall, trying to go back to her room. "Tiff?" Soda had walked around to the hall that lead to the bathroom and the three youngers' bedrooms. "What are you doing up?"  
"I was gonna get some medicine. My legs were hurting' bad."  
"You Alright? Need me to get you something? I told you to holler if you needed me instead of trying to get outta bed like you do." Darry started in on her when he'd come around the corner after soda.  
"I'm fine. I can do it Darry. You don't have to do everything for me. I'm not some little kid."  
Soda helped her straighten up her wheelchair, as she'd gotten it wedged in the hallway from trying to turn around (but they didn't know that's what happened).  
"I'll get the medicine. You take her on back to bed." Darry instructed soda.  
"You really ought to stop being so hardheaded." Sodapop started to say as he watched Tiffany use her arms to lift herself back into bed.  
"Darry already works so hard. I don't want to bother him with more." Tiffany said softly as Sodapop tucked the covers back around her.  
"Darry don't mind. He loves you and wants you to be safe."  
"Yeah. But he don't get to do nothing a 21 year old should get to. He works all day, comes home and gets on me and pony to do any of our work, cooks dinner half the week. And he doesn't get to do nothing for himself. Not even take a girl on a lousy date."  
"You heard that, huh?"  
"Yeah...I know he likes holly as much as she likes him. I seen him looking at her sometimes. All this isn't fair for him, he didn't ask to be raising us..."  
"Now listen. Sure Darry didn't see himself finishing raising up three kids. But he wouldn't change what he's done for nothing. Keeping us together is more important to him than anything. Sure he might miss some of the things from before. Like football, girls, and not getting to go to college. But he'd rather us being a family, and he don't regret it for a second."  
Darry, who'd paused outside Tiffany's room to let them finish talking, walked in as if he hadn't heard a thing. "Here ya go, Tiff." He handed the girl her medicine and a glass of water.  
"Thanks, Dar." She swallowed the pill and then took a few more sips of her water.  
"Thursday, Holly is bringing your crutches by so you can start walking again. But you still gotta be careful. Not just cause your legs got weak, but because they still hurt. So if the pain is too much I want you using the wheelchair, you don't need to be pushing yourself to hard. Alright?"  
"Alright. I promise I won't overdue it."  
"Now get some sleep. I'm sending soda and ponyboy to the store tomorrow for groceries if you wanna go. I got work in the morning, so I'm headed to bed. But you know to come get me if you need me."  
He gave his little sister a kiss on the top of her head, made sure the blankets were tight around her, and then headed to his own bed. "See? Don't worry so much kiddo."  
"Alright," she felt a bit better after talking to soda. So she laid her head against the pillows and closed her eyes, hugging her stuffed cat to one side.  
"I swear you and johnnycakes is all dally gives a ratsass about," Sodapop said to himself with a chuckle as he turned the girl's bedroom light off.  
~~~~~~~

The following morning, the three teenaged Curtis' got up and headed for the store. Darry left some money and a grocery list for them to stick to (and he left a note at the bottom that the list was to be strictly followed with no one extra things bought).  
"Looks like no chocolate cake this time guys," Sodapop said, and he was also obviously disappointed. They ate cake like it was going out of style, but Darry and Sodapop didn't make as much this week since soda had taken a few days off to watch over Tiff.  
"Geez," Ponyboy had a sad pout at the news.  
"Maybe I'll make some good tips tonight and I'll buy some. Alright kid?"  
"Yeah. Or else we gonna be fighting over the last bit that's in the freezer."  
Tiffany grabbed the money and list to put in her purse so that it didn't get lost. "I guess Darry's planning on spaghetti tonight, he put a Star by the ingredients for it to make sure we get it."  
"You guys ready?" Soda asked as he turned Tiff's chair around.  
"Yeap," ponyboy said as he went for the door, holding it open to soda could get Tiffany out.  
"I still need my shoes, can you put them on?" Tiffany asked, she'd been wearing slip-ons since her burns were down to her ankles.  
"Yeah," soda grabbed them from the corner of the living room and slipped them on her feet easily. "Alright. To the store!" He lifted her chair up a bit to get it over the doorframe, had her sit on one of the porch seats so he could carry the wheelchair down the steps, and then carried her down and back onto her chair.  
"I wish you'd at least let me try to get down the steps. Instead of carrying me like a baby." She complained.  
"Oh no. You got two more days before the crutches come and we ain't pushing it. And I ain't getting my ass tore out the frame cause Darry'd find out somehow."  
They walked to the store, with soda pushing Tiffany's wheelchair and occasionally pushing extra hard so he could try and ride on the back of it. Of course, each time he did Tiffany would burst into a fit of giggles as the chair tipped back and soda had to find his balance again.  
When they got to the store, Tiffany pointed at the sign in front "they got tomato sauce on sale."  
"That's good. We can save a little bit on groceries then." Soda said as he pushed the wheelchair through the front door.  
"Good morning kids," the shop manager said as they came in.  
"Good morning miss Waterson," they all greeted her.  
"How're you doing these days? And you feeling better Tiffany?"  
"We're getting on," Ponyboy smiled as he grabbed a basket.  
"I'm better. I get to start using crutches Thursday. "  
"That'll be wonderful. I'm glad you kids are doing alright." They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Sodapop excused themselves to get on with shopping.  
"She'll talk your ear off," pony said with a grin as they started down the first aisle.  
They were able to spot a few sales for the things on their list, but they didn't save enough for cake, so they checked out and headed home.  
Tiffany held a bag in her lap as pony carried the other two bags in his arms.  
"I can't wait for Thursday," Tiffany was saying wishfully.  
"Remember What Darry said -"  
"I know soda. Be careful and don't push it."  
Soda ruffled up her hair, laughing as she pouted over her hair being messed up.  
"Hey two-bit!" Pony grinned when he got inside to find the man on their couch and watching tv.  
"Hey kiddo. Was wondering where y'all all went to."  
"Hey two-bit! Let me get these groceries put away and I'll be back out."  
"Don't rush on account of me," the man waved the air as the siblings went to the kitchen and put away the groceries.  
"I'll make us some sandwiches for lunch." Tiffany said as she wheeled over to the breadbox.  
"You need help?"  
"I got it soda. It's just sandwiches. Go to the living room and I'll be out soon."  
"Alright Tiff. Holler if you need help."  
"I will."  
Pony and soda went out to the living room where wresting ensued.  
Tiffany made them all sandwiches and put them on plates, balancing them on her lap as she went out to the living room. Ponyboy raced to the kitchen to get everyone drinks before they all settled down to eat and hang out for the rest of the day.


	12. Chapter 12

Tiffany was anxious all Thursday morning, Holly couldn't come by until around dinner time when she got off from the hospital, and the young girl felt like the day would never get on.  
Darry was at work, Soda had gone to the DX to hang out with Steve, and Pony had gone to the movies to watch whatever was playing. Of course, Darry would've skinned Pony for leaving the for home alone, but she wouldn't rat him out. Around noon, Johnny came over - he wasn't using crutches anymore but had a back brace on - to see if Tiff wanted to have lunch together.  
"Where's Pony?" The boy asked when He bounded in.  
"He went to see a movie, at the inside theater. I told him I'd be fine at the house alone."  
"Well. Did you wanna get lunch?"  
She smiled, "you can't Cary me down them steps Johnny. We got leftovers in the fridge. You want some?"  
Johnny looked a bit defeated at her statement, but knew she was right. "Sounds good. What is it?"  
"Just leftover spaghetti. Darry took some to work, but there was still enough for Lunch."  
Johnny helped her get the food out of the fridge and heated up.  
"You get your crutches today, right?"  
"Yeah. Holly is bringing them around supper time. I'll be glad to start walking around again."  
Johnny took her hand in his, smiling to himself as he spoke, "I'm happy too. I was scared stuff you weren't gonna be able to walk."  
Tiffany turned to Johnny, about to take another bite of her food. She sat the fork down and held both his hands, "I'm the one who was scared. That first week, we weren't even sure you was gonna make it."  
Johnny leaned in and gave Tiffany a kiss to her cheek sweetly - he thought it was a romantic gesture, "Well. We both okay."  
They finished eating lunch and went to the living room to watch tv after they washed up the dishes. "When's soda get home?" Johnny asked cooly.  
"He said steve is scheduled until 3. If Steve gives him a ride one he is off, he should be home a few minutes after that." It was only noon now.  
So they settled into the couch with the TV playing 'I dream of Jeannie."  
Tiffany stayed interested in the show for almost two hack-to-back episodes before getting distracted with Johnny.  
Her had started to kiss at her neck and jaw gently, trying to get her attention. When she finally turned to return his affection, he slipped her in his lap gently, letting her legs rest over his lap. Making sure she wasn't in any pain as she turned her upper body to face him, dipping her head down to kiss his lips passionately. The boy had to be careful, he liked to roam with his hands, but was cautious not to try and touch her legs or thighs. He was even gentle about touching her waist, nervous because of how close to the burns he still was at the area. So he mainly took to holding the back of her neck, and ghosting his hands at her chest (they were both still inexperienced, and the boy wasn't always sure what to do with his hands at times).  
Tiffany didn't mind his fumbling/roaming hands. The touch of his lips and tips of his fingers were enough to send electric waves through her body and make her heart want to burst from her chest.  
They were so lost in each other, that neither heard Soda and Steve roughhousing up the porch, making a loud fuss as they burst in the door. "Tiff! Pony! Steve and I got off early! You want to go grab a maltsh-holy hell!" Soda stopped when he saw the pair of kids.  
"S-Soda!" Johnny looked like he was ready to run and hide. Tiffany had pushed herself off Johnny's lap and back beside him on the sofa, trying frantically to button her blouse and smooth her hair.  
"Glory! You two were really going at it!" Steve laughed, he knew they were seeing each other. Had suspected it since the pair had been in the burn unit and at the hospital.  
"Where's Ponyboy!? And what are you thinking! Since when have y'all two - have y'all -"  
"Slow down soda," Tiffany stopped her brother as he started to pop off with questions a mile a minute. "Pony went to the movies. I told him I'd be fine. Johnny came over awhile later to hang out. So we had lunch and was watching tv..."  
"And necking! Glory you even got a hickey Tiffany! When-"  
"A few months before the hospital. We was gonna tell you. Honest. We just didn't know how..."  
"What's so funny!" Soda turned to Steve, who was still laughing.  
"Ah shucks, soda. How'd you not know? They're always together. About as close as pony and tiff are. Always slipping away when the gangs together and getting loud."  
"You knew?!"  
"Yeah man. I figured it out at the hospital. The way they was always asking about one another when I visited."  
"Who else knows?!"  
"Just pony. He asked when I was still in the hospital. He said to tell y'all soon.."  
"Wel it's been near two months since the hospital Tiffany June! What else have you tow been doing!"  
"Nothing soda!" Tiffany made to hit her legs as she normally did when frustrated, but winced and Johnny (Who was now concerned about her and not his life) took her hands away from her legs.  
"When Darry finds out, he gonna have a cow. A whole friggin' cow!"  
"Soda-!"  
"Ah! No Tiffany. I ain't lying to him, and how you gonna explain that hickey anyhow?!" Johnny turned red, and Tiffany huffed. "At least it's Johnny..." he sighed, calming down from his initial shock.  
Soda made Johnny sit on the recliner, and plopped beside Tiffany. "Was that necessary?" The girl asked as Steve went to grab a beer from the kitchen.  
"If it was anyone else I'd kick him on the street!"  
She huffed, falling back into the couch as soda kicked his feet up and sulked.

Johnny had to leave before Darry came home, dally wanted him back in time for their supper. Dally had sort of taken Johnny in since the accident - Johnny was rarely home anyways and dally wouldn't have the kid sleeping in a lot on a busted back.  
"I gotta get to Dally's in time for supper. Don't need him hollering if I'm late," he grinned sheepishly. Dally may be a thug, but he really did care for Johnny and would see to it the kid was safe.  
"I'll call you tonight," Tiffany promised, waving to him as he headed out (they assumed kissing in front of soda might be a bad idea so they both silently knew not to).  
"Let me know how those crutches work out." With that he headed out the door, taking off at a fast walk.  
When Darry got home, soda didn't even say helllo - just jumped right into it. "You ain't gonna believe what your sister has been up to?"  
"Why is she only my sister when it's something bad?" Darry laughed, taking his shoes off at the door. "And where's ponyboy?"  
"He went to the movies today, said he was gonna watch a few showings." Tiffany explained.  
"Okay. And what is it that has made you MY sister," he grinned - but it soon fell when soda stood up and Darry could see the hickeys on her neck. "What in Sam's hell -"  
"Her and Johnny's been going steady for a few months. The twerps was keeping it secret tell soda here caught 'em necking," Steve was still lounging around.  
"Y'all what!"  
Tiffany winced slightly at Darry's raised voice. "We was gonna tel yall. Honest Darry. We just didn't know how. At first we didn't know how, and then when everything first went down - it wasn't a good time..."  
"And now!"  
"It's been so long, we didn't know how to bring it up and explain..."  
"So instead you just sneak around, necking and who knows what else? Hold on," he pushed for a minutes. "After Everything first happened? Y'all been seeing each one another since before the Socs attacked you three?" Tiffany nodded. "Y'all was sayIng when you were holed up I. That church?!"  
"Yeah, But we never did nothing like that!"  
"Are you now?! Tiff we can't afford a baby!"  
"Darry!" Tiffany cried out, embarrassed. "Johnny and I haven't done IT. He hasn't even asked if I'd do IT. He knows I don't wanna right now," she looked at the tv, not watching it but not wanting to look at the men In the living room. "Johnny's real sweet. We like kissing and he likes touching me some, but he knows what I'm not comfortable with and he respects that."  
Steve cleared his throat awkwardly, getting up off the floor and headed to the kitchen to get away.  
"I'm sorry we didn't tell y'all. We just wanted to do it when it get right."  
Darry sighed, he sounded tired. "I just want you to be safe and smart Tiffany."  
"Shouldn't you be telling me I'm too young too?"  
"You are. God you're only 14 - but you know what sex is and how it works. I can't stop you if I tried, soda already had his own scare..." he meant sandy, but it wasn't his. Soda winced himself, still a bit sore on the subject.  
"I'm not gonna do nothing stupid Darry. I love Johnny but I'm not ready for...that. You don't gotta tell me all about it or nothing."  
"Good. Geez can't I come home to no drama one afternoon?" Darry groaned, dragging his hand over his face as he went to take a shower and wash up.  
"At least Holly said she'd bring dinner," soda laughed as he followed Darry to pick at him.  
Steve came back in when the talking was finally over - he helped Tiffany get back in her wheelchair and took her outside in the porch. The girl wanted a smoke and Darry hated when they smiled inside.  
"You really dig johnnycakes huh? Can't believe none of the guys caught on."  
"And you did?"  
"At the hospital, but y'all made it too easy to figure out. Even Dally as dumb as he can be caught on at the church he said."  
Before Tiffany could reply, Ponyboy came jogging up the steps with Holly, "Holly is here with your crutches Tiff!" He grinned helping his sister back inside.  
Holly had Tiffany's crutches as well as a meatloaf she had made before coming over to the Curtis'. "How are you Tiff? Ready to test these babies out?" Soda came and grabbed the food, taking it to the kitchen to keep warm in the oven before he started making the side food items.  
"I've been ready," She raised her arms up to take the crutches, expecting to just be able to grab them and start hobbling.  
"Be care-" but before Holly could warn the girl, Tiffany's weight gave under her weakened legs and if it wasn't for Steve catching her - would've fell to the floor.  
"You can't be trying to get up so fast," who would've thought Steve could be stern.  
"Take your time Tiff, I've been stressing how hard this is going to be from the beginning," Holly reminded.  
"Sorry," Tiffany let Steve work the crutches under her arms and slowly let go of her, making sure she wouldn't fall again.  
Now that she had help - and didn't try to start up so fast - she was able to stay standing, but she had pushed her arms up higher to keep pressure form her aching legs. "Okay, just try taking a few steps at first." Holly urged the child.  
"I'm here behind you, so you won't fall," Steve assured her.  
Tiffany nodded, putting one of the crutches forward and then making to take a step after it. Except she again failed to hold up her weight and Steve had to grab her. "I can't do it!" She was frustrated - she hadn't realized just how difficult this would be.  
"Maybe we should wait a bit longer, your legs are still badly damaged. It's just adding stress to your injuries." Holly suggested, taking the crutches and letting Steve put her back in the wheelchair.  
"I want to start walking now," Tiffany complained as Darry came out of his bedroom (he'd snuck in after his shower to hide from Holly so he could change).  
"Do as Holly says, Tiff. If she thinks its soon then we should listen."  
"But Darry -"  
"No buts."  
Tiffany gave in after a few huffs, staying in her chair and wheeling into the kitchen for dinner.

Tiffany struggled for the next couple of weeks with her new crutches. She had to regain her leg strength in order to support her weight - not to mention the pain in her still healing wounds were too great for her to bear at times.  
She got frustrated often, only able to actually walk for small amounts of time during the day until her legs got stronger. But soon she was able to get around fairly well on her own with the crutches. It still took even more time for her legs to be completely healed - with life lasting scars in the end - and for her to be bale to walk normally. In half a years time however, the Curtis family was able to get back to a normal life; with the addition of Holly - who Darry finally asked out. The twins also went back to being inseparable once Tiffany wasn't bound by a chair.  
The small family were happy and healthy once again.


End file.
